The Fabric of Love
by EspoirDio
Summary: Niles has quit his job and moved back to England. What will happen when he and CC meet again after four years and are forced to collaborate?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, Hello!^^ Ok first of all: I have Internet here. YAY! lol So I should be able to update...depending a bit on my social life. lol Um...yeah, this is a new story...lol That has happened over the past 2 weeks...and um...I sorta know where I'm going with it...but "Dismantling Ourselves" is my priority, so don't expect an update on this one all too soon. I just basically posted this to get some feedback on how you like it, if you want more . So yeah...leave me reviews and let me know!;)**

**Disclaimer: Niles and C.C. and the rest aren't mine, Sue and Henry are!:)**

**The Fabric of Love  
**

**Chapter 1:**

C.C. Babcock gloomily looked out of the windows as she walked along the long corridors of the airport, dragging her suitcase behind her. Unlike the Nanny and the Broadway producer in front of her she wasn't excited at all about this trip. Heathrow airport, she mused, was as hectic and unorganised as Newark or JFK. The weather outside was difficult to judge, for the sky was of a pale blue colour and the view was further obscured by wafting thin clouds. But fortunately it wasn't raining. Wordlessly she exited the airport after her business partner and his wife and then joined them in a taxi.

"So where does he live again?" the brunette asked, who was sitting squashed in the middle between her and Maxwell, while a huge suitcase rested on the front seat.

"Winchester," he offered patiently while C.C. rolled her eyes.

She couldn't count anymore how often the brunette had asked that very question.

"They all sound alike," Fran whined, giving her an angry glare "Manchester, Winchester..."

"Just that one's in the north and the other one in the south." C.C. commented dryly.

A couple of minutes later they arrived in front of the railway station and Maxwell paid the driver, adding a generous tip for the Nanny's make-up case, while C.C. lifted her own case out of the boot.

"Do we really have to take the train, Maxwell?" she asked, trying to catch her breath.

"It's the easiest way," he smiled happily "the train will stop directly at Winchester and Niles will pick us up there."

"Ugh, why couldn't Rochester have moved to a town that's actually reachable by car?"

"That's another one," the brunette pointed out triumphantly "see, all these names are very confusing!"

"Yes, if one's brain is the size of a pea, maybe." C.C. muttered under her breath and proceeded into the station where Maxwell was already purchasing tickets.

The train was full when they entered and while Fran used her favourite excuse ( "I'm pregnant with twins!") to reserve two seats for her and her husband, C.C. found herself uncomfortably close to an older gentleman who smelled of cabbage and a teenage girl who kept blowing bubbles with her gum, so close to her that C.C. could have popped it with her nose. But after a couple of minutes the steady rumbling of the train had calmed her enough to stop her inner rants and she allowed her thoughts to drift off. Four years had passed since the butler had quit his position at the Sheffield residence, four long years of silence. At first she had been thrilled, of course, her arch nemesis out of the way; it had felt like she had secured victory for good and without the nosy, mingling butler she had been certain that her chances of winning over Maxwell had increased. But nothing of the kind had happened in the end; Maxwell had married the trampy Nanny and C.C. had been left feeling more alone than ever. Maxwell had only started talking to Niles again after the wedding, finally giving in to Fran's pleas. And slowly their friendship had manifested itself again, something that seemed to have got lost over the years of boss and employee. C.C. frowned, trying to remember what had transpired to make Niles quit, but she doubted to have ever known, apart from the fact that it had ended in a fight.

After over an hour of standing in a crowded train with the edge of her suitcase painfully bumping against her thigh, not even the very fashionable Prada heels she wore could stop her feet from aching. She was tired, exhausted and short-tempered, all in all not a particularly promising mood to meet the butler again after all these years. The platform at Winchester station was slick with rain but the air was mild and smelled fresh. C.C. closed her eyes and inhaled deeply for a moment, before hurrying after the others as quickly as her heels-clad feet would allow. The small station was full of people who, like herself, had just exited the train and so large queues were forming at the gates. Tapping her fingernails impatiently against the handle of the suitcase C.C. finally noticed an opening at one of the smaller gates, that was only for regular passengers without any luggage. Stubborn and frustrated as she was, however, she chose to ignore it and shoved her ticket into the slit, marching through the gate. But of course only she herself managed to walk through it while her suitcase got stuck on the other side, when the gate closed again. C.C. cursed, rubbing her arm that had been pulled back with such force that it was still hurting. And then she heard it, his laugh, despite its mockery still warm and so familiar, as if four years hadn't passed since she last heard it.

"Clever move there, Babs," he commented, still laughing and she finally looked up to meet his twinkling blue eyes.

"Can it, Bellboy, and give me a hand." she growled.

His eyes still lingered on her face as if he was appraising any changes that had happened over the years. She tried to find malevolence in them but couldn't, for instead she encountered relief and satisfaction.

"I'm not your butler," he finally replied and she smirked.

"But you're still beneath me,"

She remembered many situations like this and they usually caused him to be bitter or angry, but nothing of the kind happened this time.

"You wish," he muttered under his breath and cheekily winked at her.

And before she even had the chance to rebuttal, let alone process what had just happened, he had already stepped into the small space between her and the gate, stood on his tiptoes and with great effort lifted up her suitcase over it.

"But don't expect me to carry it to the car," he was now saying, while she was merely capable of staring at him.

Finally she forced herself to move away from the gate and observed in a daze how he went on to hug the Nanny, before shaking Maxwell's hand and clapping his back comradely. He had changed somehow, grown more confident and overall more content with himself and she wasn't quite sure yet whether she liked it or not. Niles' car was a small one, but uncharacteristically she bit back any insults that would form in her mind. Somehow she felt incapable of ruining this new-found happiness he seemed to have achieved.

"I'm so glad that you decided to come and visit me for a couple of days." he said when they were all crammed into the car once more "You didn't have to."

"Damn right," C.C. muttered and then caught him grinning at her through the mirror.

"Of course we did, Mister." Fran corrected, giving C.C. another glare "It's been four years without my best friend, total hell."

"She's right, you know?" Maxwell chimed in "There hasn't been one day where Fran hasn't been whining about you leaving."

"That from the man who couldn't even concentrate on work the first couple of weeks, because the new butler hadn't got his tea just right." C.C. commented dryly.

"That's not true," Maxwell contradicted stammering "I-I...we managed...in the end."

"I didn't expect anything else," Niles replied softly.

"Oy...you Brits, why dontcha just say how much you've missed each other?" Fran exclaimed and silence ensued.

C.C. turned her attention to the city they were driving through. It showed a nice combination of old buildings and towers and new shops and restaurants, all in all something that she would label as "very British". They drove past a large Victorian school building and over a bridge and up a hill until they had left the city centre behind and were mainly surrounded by stretches and stretches of green fields. The ride didn't last very long and soon Niles was driving down a bumpy country lane towards a cottage that was small but didn't lack in beauty. By the time Niles had parked the car and they had scrambled outside, two people had emerged from inside the house. The woman was small and chubby with grey short hair that curved inwards towards her chin, but despite her age and the many wrinkles that lined her face, her eyes were youthful and sparkling with life. The man by her side was much taller and ganglier and although he seemed to eye them at first with a British reserve, he wrapped his arm around his wife as his features melted into an all too familiar crooked grin. C.C. had risked small glances over her shoulder at them while lifting her suitcase out of the car and she noticed with amusement how Maxwell almost hesitantly approached them.

"Max, my boy, come here!" the woman suddenly exclaimed and pulled him into a firm embrace which, judging by the helpless look he gave Niles, he hadn't been expecting.

"You're looking good, young man." Her husband then added, patting his shoulder in a fatherly gesture.

"Thank you Henry," Max nodded "and Sue. It is wonderful to see you again after such a long time. And this is my wife Fran."

The brunette, confident and not intimated, immediately stepped closer and hugged them both.

"Nice to meet you. And look, Niles has your eyes and your smile," she pointed out giggling.

"Yes, he's the perfect combination of us both." Sue announced proudly and stood on her tiptoes to place a loving kiss on her husband's lips.

C.C. almost laughed when she caught the slightly embarrassed look on the former butler's face, but mentally noted that his mother was right. Niles wasn't as tall as his father, nor as chubby as his mother and with her blue eyes and his father's smile, it really was a winning combination.

"And who is this lovely lady?" Henry asked, his eyes finding C.C.'s, who immediately looked away.

"Who?" Niles questioned, pretending to search the environment for anyone else.

"Niles, behave!" Sue scolded and he shifted uncomfortably, like a chastised dog.

"Yes, Butler Boy, listen to your mummy!" C.C. whispered, so that only he could hear it and then let out her trademark sultry laugh.

"This is C.C. Babcock, my business partner," Maxwell filled in.

"Ah!" Sue said in an all too knowing way, that made both Niles and C.C. feel rather uncomfortable.

"Well, let's not stand around here, the storm is coming back. Let's get you into the house where it's nice and warm and you can have a nice cup of tea. You must be exhausted."

They all muttered in agreement and soon they were all comfortably seated in overstuffed armchairs, sipping from their steaming mugs while listening to the cackling fire.

"Ya house is really homey, Mrs. Brightmore," Fran complimented and voiced what C.C. had been thinking.

"Well, we've been living here since the children were little...so it's not just a house to us, it is, as you said, a home. It's filled with memories of first words and steps, heartaches and laughter. And now that Henry and I are old and retired, it reminds us of the wonderful and blessed life we've had and how proud we are of our children." And she warmly smiled at Niles.

C.C. set her mug down with shaking hands and rose to her feet, feebly grasping for her purse.

"I'm just going to go outside for a smoke," she declared and left before anyone could stop her.

Outside, however, she kept walking, down the country road that they had come from. It had simply been too much to handle, as if seeing Niles again wasn't enough in itself. But now she had to watch his family as well, their love and support for each other so strong, although they didn't have many luxuries in life. It was mind-blowing to her how such simple people could be so perfectly content while her parents, who'd had everything, couldn't live with each other. And on top of it all Niles...with his warm understanding and rapier sharp wit. She had missed him, oh God, she had missed him. And with him so close and the memories flooding back, she hadn't been able to deny it any longer. Her shoes were painfully rubbing against the skin of her heels and losing patience she slipped out of them and trudged through the dirty in her stockinged feet in a very un-Babcock-like fashion. She needed to get away from that house, away from him, before she could read more into why she had felt such relief upon seeing him again. It was almost as if she had stopped living a bit when Niles had quit his job and left the continent and as if everything now was painfully brought back to life. And she hurt and ached with the beauty of it, causing tears of complete and utter exhilarating relief to sting in her eyes. By the time she found the nearest pub, her flesh-coloured tights were dirty and her hair was no longer in perfect order, but damp and matted against her face. Maybe that was why all eyes were on her when she flung the door open. She observed coolly that not one woman was present in the room, as she made her way to the bar.

"Yes, Miss, what can I get you?" the old bartender asked and she tried to smile.

"A Whisky, please, straight up."

"That's the only way we do it," he laughed and went to get the drink for her.

While he was gone another man approached and C.C. suddenly felt a little frightened.

"Are you alright, my dear?" he simply asked, honest concern in his voice.

"Yes...I just...underestimated the weather and the distance," she stammered pathetically.

"Alright," he nodded and squeezed her hand "just call your folks to give you a lift back. You shouldn't be out by yourself in this weather."

And he left her alone again, causing her to notice the drink that had been placed in front of her. She wrapped her hands around it and looked at the amber liquid.

"So I see you've found your crowd!" an amused voice behind her said but she didn't turn around. "What, Babcock, no come-back? Do we have to start your training anew again?"

And he took a seat by her side. She looked at him as if saying "If you hadn't left, we wouldn't be in this mess now." but then she merely shook her head and focused on her drink once more.

"Hello Niles, what can I do for you?" the bartender asked.

"Hi Steve, I'll have whatever she's having."

She felt his eyes on her again, burning her with his questions and the need for an explanation, but she didn't offer anything.

"You could've ruined your entire outfit," he said, carefully taking a wet strand of hair between his fingers and moving it out of her eyes "and I'm sure it cost millions."

"Stop talking to yourself, Bellboy." she finally snapped and his chuckle warmed her heart.

"Oh Babs, I've missed you." he said and clinked his glass against hers.

It couldn't possibly be so easy...


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm gonna have to blame this update on nrfan :p She bribed me! lol So I realise that this isn't as good as the first chapter, but I've tried my best... let me know if you're still finding it enjoyable. lol**

**Disclaimer: Sue and Henry are mine and I love them. :)  
**

Chapter 2:

She heard their voices from downstairs, how could she not? Nanny Fine's dulcet tones alone were capable of breaking through the thickest walls. But that wasn't what had awoken her from her slumber rather prematurely, or the birds that were lightly chirping outside her window and announcing that spring had come to England. She sighed deeply, inhaling the strong scent of lavender and something entirely different that she'd later come to associate with Niles, and buried her face in the pillows once more. She most certainly wasn't ready yet to wake up and head downstairs to them. A light breeze was flowing in from the opened window and the calming sounds of nature were enough to lull her back to sleep again, if only for a little while. Eventually though the softness of the bed became uncomfortable and moodily she swung her legs over the side and got up. Trudging around the room she picked up bits and pieces of clothing, as well as the towels Sue had provided her with and a bathrobe. She checked the corridor first, but the clanking of cutlery as well as muffled conversation told her that she was still safe and so she hurriedly crossed the hall and moved into the bathroom where she firmly closed the door behind her. It was a cosy room with a toilet, a sink and a bathtub, but the floor beneath her feet squeaked dangerously loudly as she moved while taking off her clothes. When everything lay somewhere scattered across the floor, she picked out her shampoo and climbed into the tub. The water was warm and comforting and she washed herself for a while without letting any other thoughts penetrate the peace. But inevitably the pictures appeared in front of her, so vivid that it might as well have happened the previous night.

_Their bodies tumbling, entwined, their ragged breathing that had filled the silence of the little cottage. Her lips swollen and bruised and his eyes dark with desire as they had moved to her bed. He had stripped her of her clothes without breaking the contact, the warmth of his hands burning her and making her want more. _

_"Niles!" his name, the only whispered confession of her longing for him and the sparkling of his eyes before he made her his._

C.C. shook her head and firmly switched off the water. She stood perfectly still, droplets of water glistening on her body in the light of the sun. She remained this way for quite some time, until her wet hair became heavy on her shoulders and goose bumps were spreading across her skin. It had been a dream and nothing else, yet the thought alone that she might want the butler in such a way was disconcerting. Slowly and numbly she climbed out of the tub again and fiercely rubbed herself dry with a towel until her skin was red and the blood was coursing through her more easily again. Maybe some exercise would help... anything that would make herself exhausted in the end and bring her out of the house and far away from the man. She hid herself in the soft, white fabric of the bathrobe but she couldn't hide the fact that desire was pulsating inside her still.

* * *

"Have a nice day, my dears!" Sue called, watching as Maxwell and Fran drove down the country lane in Niles' car.

Her son sat by the table, apparently deeply indulged in the morning paper, but he couldn't fool her. Whenever there had been the slightest creak from the upstairs floor, his head had snapped up. He was waiting for her, but then again, this wasn't exactly news to Sue.

"Maybe you should go and work on her breakfast," she suggested with a smile and Niles' confused blue eyes found hers "I'm sure she'll be down in a minute."

"She just never sleeps so long, she's always there pretty early and..." he mumbled but then stopped, acutely aware of his mother's knowing glance.

He avoided it easily by closing his paper and disappearing into the kitchen. There he extracted eggs, sausages and bacon from the fridge and carried them to the stove. A moment later the bacon and sausages were sizzling in the frying pan and he had broken the eggs into a bowl and was scrambling them. Then he grabbed a tomato, chopped it in half and after seasoning it he shoved it into the grill for a couple of minutes. As if on cue he heard his mother coo:

"Good morning, my dear, did you sleep well?"

In his place in the kitchen, Niles scoffed and flipped the bacon once more before putting everything on a plate.

"Did someone leave a big rock on your coffin again?" he joked and leaned over C.C.'s shoulder to set the plate down in front of her.

"And you've clearly run out of fresh material, Butler Boy." she shot back, trying to hide how she had tensed up at the touch of his body.

To her surprise he merely chuckled again and didn't take the bait.

"Would you like tea or coffee?"

"Coffee, please," she replied and with a silent nod he disappeared into the kitchen again.

"Maxwell and his lovely wife have left already. They're spending the day in town. But I'm sure Niles could take you later, if you want."

C.C. closed her eyes against the warm sunlight that was flooding the kitchen through six large windows.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could go horseback-riding somewhere in the area. I've seen riding paths."

"Yes, of course. There is a farm not very far from here. Henry would love to walk you there."

"Oh, I'd hate to put you out. I'm sure I'll find it myself if you show me its location on a map."

Her answer was polite yet Sue had no doubt that behind it lay the wish to be left alone. For a moment she contemplated whether to address the issue but then she caught her son leaning in the doorway of the kitchen, his blue eyes scanning C.C.'s body.

"Alright, I'll just get you that map then." she said and hurried out of the room.

Niles moved out of his stupor and carried the pot with coffee and some toast to the table and took a seat again, opening the newspaper. C.C. consumed her food in silence but eventually focused on his face.

"Can I have the financial bit?" she asked, pointing at the newspaper.

"Business or pleasure?" he asked, giving her his boyish grin while searching for the section she had requested.

"Pleasure," she replied, forcing herself to keep her voice steady.

"I always knew that your sense of pleasure was messed up, Babcock." he laughed, handing her the finance section.

"Shows how much you know," she purred when her fingers brushed his.

He held her gaze for a moment, before the sound of footsteps on the tiles announced Sue's return.

"Well, here we are." she said, settling down between them.

* * *

Niles had left the kitchen pretty much the minute his mother had sat down. He didn't quite understand what was happening between him and C.C., he just knew that it left him nervous and a little short of breath. He climbed the stairs to his attic room and closed the door against the rest of the world. His notebook lay opened on his table by the window and he strode over and sat down, opening his fountain pen. The light weight felt good in his hand and he felt a familiar tingling in his fingers, that meant that he had to write now. If he postponed it, it wouldn't be as right or fresh again as it was at that very moment. The words practically poured out of him, flowed so that he wasn't even aware of rational thought anymore. All that existed was the whirl of the words and the feelings this created. He only came back to the present when he heard the wooden door of their house squeak open. C.C. stepped outside, her hair tied back in a ponytail and she wore an old T-shirt of his mother's. He watched her exchange a few words with his father, who then waved her goodbye and headed back into the house again. He followed the graceful movements of her body until she was out of sight. Only then did he set his pen down and closed his book.

* * *

C.C. returned later on in the afternoon when the glow of the setting sun had painted the sky orange. She was basking in the warmth of the light, feeling elated still from her riding trip. She wore a pair of riding boots and pants she had newly acquired and her hair was matted to her face. But she felt better, almost alive again. She could already see them from the little hill she was standing on. Nanny Fine and Maxwell comfortably seated on large wooden chairs and Niles and his father carrying out more chairs and, it appeared, some food. But C.C. didn't increase her pace and leisurely headed down the path that was still muddy from the previous day.

"Did you enjoy yourself, dear?" Henry asked, smiling gently, but she felt Niles' eyes on her.

"Yes, very. The people were incredibly friendly and allowed me to ride one of their best stallions."

"That doesn't happen very often," Niles muttered under his breath as he disappeared into the house again.

"Oh my dear, I thought I heard your voice!" Sue exclaimed, stepping outside and patted her back "Welcome back! We've decided that this day is far too lovely to spend indoors, so we're having a little barbecue outside, the boys are just setting up."

"I really need to shower," she explained with a smile and Sue nodded.

"Go right ahead, dear, and by the time you've returned I'm sure dinner will be ready."

C.C.'s hair was still a little moist when she stepped out onto the terrace once more. But the evening breeze was refreshing and she stretched luxuriously before taking a seat to Niles' right.

"What can I get you, love?" Henry almost instantly inquired "Sausages or a hearty steak?"

"Can I have both, please?" she asked and caught Sue nodding approvingly.

"Finally women who actually eat,"

"Well, we had to in my house. It was every woman for herself and ya better ate quick before Ma got a whiff of it."

"It's true," Niles and Maxwell agreed at the same time and C.C. tried her best to hide the smile that had been playing on her lips.

The evening passed in comfortable conversation and she found herself all too often regretting that they would have to leave again so soon.

"So what's the plan, m'boy?" Henry asked.

"Well, we're trying to find Mr. Kraentzl at his atelier and he will hopefully agree to let me produce one of his pieces." Max said.

"You are aware that he is a bit unusual...his pieces are, as a matter of fact." Niles chimed in.

"That's why we want him," C.C. offered "I think that maybe he's our only hope to revive the business."

"C.C.," Maxwell scolded, with a frown.

"Just facing reality," she replied.

"I'm sure you'll convince him," Niles spoke softly, so that only she could hear it "you won't give up until you've nailed the man."

His compliment was as unusual as the entire situation in itself and she hurriedly averted her eyes.

"I think I'm gonna head upstairs," Fran announced and got to her feet, unable to stifle a yawn.

"Yes, me too sweetheart." Max agreed and followed her.

"I think it's about time Henry and I went to bed as well," Sue suddenly said, earning a confused look from her husband "we have to be up rather early tomorrow morning."

Everyone carried something inside until only C.C. remained on the terrace, too relaxed to move.

"Here," Niles said, handing her a glass with red wine.

Her eyes widened in surprise when he also positioned his jacket around her shoulders.

"I didn't know you had manners," she quipped, giving him a grateful nod as she sipped on her wine.

"You'd be surprised," he smiled, winking at her.

There was a silence, but it wasn't an awkward one.

"Do you ever miss New York?" she softly asked.

He faced her so that she could see the myriad of feelings changing in his eyes.

"I don't know how to answer that without saying the wrong thing." he conceded.

She shifted slightly so that one of her legs was resting on the chair.

"I can't imagine you missing it...not with this beautiful landscape you have here."

"It's home," he shrugged "but there are things I've missed..." he swallowed "things that my memory can't do justice. Things that are so much more beautiful when you could almost reach out and touch them."


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, Hello! And as promised in my last oneshot, here is the update for Fabric! I hope you'll enjoy it too. THe Jane Austen thing is, once again, a tribute to the fabulous Miss Lane, who happens to like this author- as do I! :) Read and Review please!**

**Disclaimer: Nope,still not mine. **

Chapter 3:

The sun had long since set when C.C.'s tired body finally hit the pillows with a soft thud. Niles and she had been talking until the warmth of his coat hadn't been able to prevent her from shivering anymore. And even then she had tried her best to hide it from him, how cold she really was, unable yet to let the evening come to an end. Suddenly she was acutely aware that time was running out, that her stay in England wasn't unlimited. And in the darkness of her room she confessed to herself that she most certainly wasn't ready yet to be alone again without any true friends and a mere spectator to the romantic life of others. A wave of panic so strong surged through her, that it was nearly enough to carry her to his room and request his company for just a little while longer. But her pride wouldn't allow it and so instead she reasoned that Niles was asleep in all likelihood. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling, trying to calm the jumble that were her thoughts. Never before had Niles and she talked like that, only exchanging the occasional barb, yet it hadn't felt like the first time. As a matter of fact, she could picture them so vividly lying in Central Park in the grass, that she had to shake her head to get rid of the ridiculous image. She was simply lonely, she told herself, and Niles did have a talent to get under her skin. C.C. tossed and turned many more times that evening before she was finally able to fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning the sun awoke her, but the hum of voices from the previous day wasn't there. She groaned quietly and rubbed her eyes and then slipped out of bed, pulling a silk robe around her body as she went. She tiptoed to the stairs and leaned forward, but the house remained silent. So finally, to satisfy her curiosity she walked downstairs and settled down at the empty kitchen table. For a while there was nothing but the continuous ticking of the clock.

"If you keep getting up so late, you will really prove my theory that you're a daylight dreading vampire." Someone quipped and she broke into a grin before she could help herself.

"This is entirely your fault for keeping me up so late." she tossed back, without turning around.

She liked the close proximity of his body, as he stood behind her and poured her a glass of orange juice and she wondered, if she'd ever paid attention to this in New York.

"Where is everyone?" she asked, when he made no attempt to speak.

"Mother and father took Fran and Maxwell to the market." he explained "They left hours ago, while you were still dreaming."

"How do you know I was still asleep? I could've been reading!" she argued and turned around to face him.

"True, but reading wouldn't really explain the way you were moaning...although..." his voice trailed off.

For a glorious moment he could enjoy the view of a blushing C.C., before she narrowed her eyes at him.

"I wasn't!" she stated firmly, yet he did wonder what had brought on the first effect.

"Alright, alright!" he raised his hands in defeat and chuckled "Breakfast?"

"Yes, please."

Only when she heard him working in the kitchen, did she allow herself to let out the breath she'd been holding. She should've been prepared for something like this; Niles was, after all, a prankster. He couldn't have known, of course, about the rather vivid dream C.C. had had the night before.

"I thought I could take you in my car to show you the city." he called from the kitchen and her heart skipped a beat at the mere thought of spending the day with him.

She caught her reflection in the mirror and pondered for a minute if she'd left her old self along with Chester in New York. Her new reactions and her civil relationship with Niles were beginning to scare her.

"Just lonely..." she muttered, exhaling in a deep sigh.

"Talking to yourself now, Babs?" Niles teased and set a plate with waffles down in front of her "Just when I thought I'd seen it all."

"What makes you think you ever will?" she purred "And where's the syrup? Your lack of skills is astonishing as always."

"And what makes you think," he repeated her words, leaning in closer "that you've seen all of _my_ skills?"

For a moment she only managed to stare into his deep-blue eyes, an involuntary smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Just get the syrup," she said softly, but there was a finality to her tone, yet she still sighed in disappointment when he followed her orders.

He returned seconds later and handed her the syrup, before settling down on a chair next to her.

"So what exactly are you doing for a living now, Butler Boy?" she asked, stuffing a piece of waffle into her mouth.

She watched as his eyes observantly followed her hands to her mouth.

"I write," he eventually said, but left it at that.

"You write what? Fiction, novels, recipe books?" she questioned, soaking her waffle with syrup.

"I write," he repeated and she sighed.

"So you don't want to tell me?"

He averted his eyes from her in such a shy way that she would've almost found it adorable, had she not been so keen to find out what he was hiding.

"No, not yet." he spoke to his knees.

Although she knew that he wasn't doing it out of bad intent, she couldn't help but feel a little hurt and rejected.

"Fine, I bet it's stupid and boring in anyway."

The old fire instantly lit up his eyes again and he jumped to his feet. She was certain he'd yell at her now and that one of their old battles would commence, but he merely crossed his arms in front of his chest and calmed his breathing with great self- control.

"You are behaving like a child," he said quietly "and you just insulted me out of spite. And you know, Babcock, that I won't take that from you, or from anyone else. But I know that you were genuinely curious a moment ago, that's why I am going to let this slip."

She was about to rebuttal, to tell him that she certainly wouldn't be talked to like that either, but he was already at the door.

"Finish your breakfast and leave your plate, I'll sort it out later. Find me in the garden when you're ready and I'll drive you into town."

And with that he was gone, leaving a completely stunned C.C. behind.

* * *

When she stomped up to her room she was somewhere between angry and disappointed. How dare he talk to her like that? And yet...maybe the reason why his words affected her so greatly was because she secretly knew them to be true. More than anything she was angry at herself for having ruined what had started to be a normal relationship, maybe even a friendship. He was annoyed at her now, not the way he used to get when they had had one of their sparring matches. This couldn't be resolved by a new good prank at her expense, this needed a drastic change in behaviour, for she certainly wouldn't be able to offer an apology to him. Growling impatiently she exchanged her pyjamas for a pair of jeans and a loose-fitting T-shirt, no longer in the mood to get all dressed up and she doubted that the inhabitants of Winchester would mind. Swinging her bag over her shoulder she left the room again and headed outside to find Niles. He was working in the garden, crouching down and cutting some herbs. The sun wove through the layers of his dark-blonde hair and C.C. suddenly felt the inexplicable urge to reach out and touch it. Instead she wrapped her arm around herself and cleared her throat to make her presence known.

"Oh," he turned around with a brilliant smile, almost as if he'd forgotten their argument "I'll just leave them in the kitchen and wash my hands and then we can go."

She nodded and waited patiently for his return, allowing the rays of sunlight to warm her face. His hand on her shoulder startled her but the contact was broken immediately.

"Come along then," he said and silently she followed him to the car. "So do you enjoy what you've seen of England so far?" he asked, attempting to make conversation, while they drove down the bumpy country road.

"I've always liked England," she muttered, staring out of the window "daddy had taken me here before when I was a little girl and Sara... she used to tell me stories too."

At the mention of their old friend she broke into a smile, but her eyes remained sad.

"Yes, you're right. She used to love coming to England to see Maxwell's parents."

She found comfort in his eyes, comfort in knowing, that she wasn't the only one who'd lost someone important that night and that Niles could truly understand how she felt. He parked the car a little way out of town, so that they headed into the city centre in a companionable silence. She only focused on her surroundings again, when they walked across the meadow towards a beautiful cathedral.

"Niles?" she prompted him.

"What?" he grinned in return.

"Well, considering you live here and offered to be my guide I at least expect some explanations."

"Alright then," he nodded as they continued to walk "this is Winchester Cathedral, among the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe."

"It's beautiful," C.C. acknowledged with a smile.

"Just you wait until you see the inside."

He paid for both their tickets and then led her inside and watched as awe washed over her face as she took in the play of light and shadow and the beautiful architecture. Feeling suddenly like a mischievous school boy again, he grabbed her end and pulled her with him towards the northern part of the nave.

"Niles!" she squealed, her voice echoing through the cathedral.

"You have to see the crypt." he explained.

"Why? Because that's where I'm supposed to live?" she deadpanned and he chuckled heartily.

"Yes," he agreed, a twinkle in his eyes "but there's also something else."

They continued walking until C.C. stopped abruptly, pulling him back. She mouthed something but Niles didn't understand.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Jane Austen," she repeated, this time in a quiet whisper.

"Yes, I thought you knew. Thousands of tourists come here to see her."

But C.C. was barely listening, she was far too busy crouching down and tracing the stone with her fingers.

"I didn't take you for someone who reads Jane Austen." Niles voiced truthfully.

"Why not? She was a smart woman; her protagonists were clever, witty and independent from men. Why would I not like her?"

He smiled softly at his oversight and was transfixed by the pattern her fingers were still drawing over the stone. They remained there until C.C. was ready to move on and then he showed her the crypt that was flooded from time to time and beautifully illuminated.

"I think it's a little bit too cheery to be your home." he grinned and she slapped his arm.

"Watch it, Bellboy, or you'll be buried here."

"I'm sure Jane Austen would not approve," he teased, using his new-found knowledge against her.

"True, but then again, who would want to spend eternity with you?"

He grinned and allowed her to get away with this victory.

* * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon together wandering around town and even went for a drink in another pub. C.C. had given up fighting whatever it was that had started to develop between them, but knew that she would be dealing with it later on. She managed to forget about it until she went to bed once more. There, in the quiet of her room, it was almost impossible not to analyse the events of the previous days. Sighing, she decided to give up on sleep and snuck downstairs and into the kitchen. She hopped on a chair by the kitchen counter and allowed her legs to restlessly dangle off the edge. She was toying with the pack of cigarettes in her hands and finally decided to have just a single one, maybe it would calm her. She had just fingered the lighter when a stern voice said: "There's no smoking in our house, dear."

C.C. was so shocked that she nearly dropped everything.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Sue." she mumbled and blushed.

"That's quite alright. Wait, I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa instead."

Feeling like a child and even more embarrassed, C.C. gracefully vacated her seat.

"No, you don't have to. I'll just go back to bed."

"Sit, my dear." Sue instructed firmly "There must be a reason why you can't sleep."

"I don't know," C.C. sighed, deflated "I suppose I simply hadn't expected to enjoy this visit as much as I do..."

"That's normal," Sue smiled and patted her hand "why don't you just stay here?"

At this C.C. barked out a hollow laugh. "Because my job...my life is in New York!"

"But are you happy there?" Sue asked and set the mug down in front of her.

C.C. considered the loaded question and sipped on her cocoa.

"Even so," she shrugged "staying here would mean a completely new beginning. And I don't know anyone..."

"I understand," Sue nodded "but I know that my son has started writing again since you arrived, that I haven't seen him as happy for quite some time. So do you really think you'd be alone?" and with that Sue left her to her thoughts.

* * *

C.C. had mulled the different options over and over again in her head and had come to the conclusion that she would ask Niles to return with them to America. That way she could continue working in the environment she was accustomed to, but in the company of the man she needed and who seemed to need her as well. He hadn't fully settled yet in England and she reasoned that it would be much easier for him to move, he could always continue his writing in the states. With that in mind she headed down to the kitchen early in the morning and was just about to knock, when the voice of Fran Fine caught her off guard.

"So Niles, I couldn't help but notice that you and Miss Babcock were missing last night."

"Yes," he replied "we were just having a drink in the pub."

"You seem awfully chummy lately."

He didn't answer and C.C. supposed that he had shrugged.

"Now don't give me that, Mister, is there something going on between you and Miss Babcock?"

Without knowing it, C.C. was holding her breath.

"Miss Fine," his voice was scolding "do you really think I'd be attracted to the Wicked Witch of the West? She's been lonely, or so my mother told me, it was only polite to look after her. I felt sorry for her and so I decided to be civil to her for three days of my life, she'll be gone soon."

C.C. didn't register Fran's reply anymore, she could only hear the blood thundering through her veins as her hands clenched to fists at her side.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, Hello! :) So, I can give you now the much expected 4th chapter of "Fabric", just fresh back from my beta!I hope you guys still vaguely know what happened before and are still interested in reading this. This chapter, unfortunately, isn't of the cheery kind, but that was to be expected after the way the last ended. I also want to now tell you that my exam/assessment period starts next week and I am currently stressed to the max so I don't know how regular my updates will be, just as a warning. Please review though, because reviews make everything better and me happier. I hope you'll enjoy this!:)**

**Disclaimer: The characters still don't belong to me, apart from Sue and Henry, but I am the rather proud owner of soundfiles of Lauren Lane in "August" :p  
**

Chapter 4:

C.C. remained rooted to the spot, and the rest of the conversation in the kitchen didn't reach her ears. Everything she perceived seemed to be blurred, while the words "pity" and "betrayal" repeated over and over again in her head. With an almost explosive reaction that stood in stark contrast to her previous behaviour, C.C. moved out of her stupor, and rushed back up the stairs to her room. There, she emptied her wardrobe, and retrieved all her toiletries from the bathroom, adding them to her suitcase. By the time it was packed and her bed was made, an odd calm had settled over her. She knew that her anger, while justified, would only make it seem as if something or someone had managed to get to her, and she most certainly wasn't going to give Niles this satisfaction. No, the only dignified way out of this was to appear calm, cool, and collected. C.C. slung her purse over her shoulder, then grabbed her suitcase, and with both items in hand, returned downstairs once more. They were all eating breakfast now; she could tell by the clink of the cutlery, and the polite but scarce conversation. For a brief moment, she stopped, listening like a starving child to their warm words and familiarity. Then she reminded herself where her place was, outside the door, and this finally sealed her determination. Grasping the handle of her suitcase more firmly, she pushed open the door and walked into the kitchen where five surprised pairs of eyes landed on her.

"C.C.?" Maxwell was the first to ask. "Where are you going?"

"I'm heading down to Ryde already." she replied matter-of-factly, the sound of her heels on the tiles piercing the silence.

"But ... but ... our appointment isn't for three days ... our hotel is booked for the day after tomorrow..." Max stammered dumbfounded.

"I am aware of that, Maxwell." C.C. said, pausing by the door, almost as if she was addressing a child. "But unlike you, I never viewed this as a vacation. So I'll head down there already, and get our documents and contracts in order."

"But C.C., that isn't necessary. You did all that before–" Max argued, but was cut off by Niles' mother.

"I'm sure Miss Babcock knows what she's doing."

There was a brief pause where all eyes that had previously been resting on C.C. now turned to Sue, but then C.C. merely gave a thankful nod and left.

"Something's wrong with that woman." Henry commented after everyone had resumed their breakfasts, and Sue inwardly agreed.

Something was wrong, and her son's reaction, the fact that he had almost jumped out of his chair, had proven it to her. But what had happened between them?

C.C., in the meantime, found herself in much the same situation she had been in the first day she had arrived in Winchester. Too proud to ask for help, and entirely confused by her emotions, she wandered down the same country lane that had led her to the pub that night. She knew that it would be a while before she made it, but at least from there, she could call a taxi that would take her to the train station. She was covered up to her ankles in dust by the time she made it, and felt like she had blisters everywhere. The taxi arrived promptly, though, and the driver had the good courtesy not to comment on her appearance. Ten minutes later they arrived at the train station, and C.C. bought her ticket down to Portsmouth Harbour, a station only 45 minutes away, as she had been assured. Pushing her suitcase in front of her through the barrier, she got stuck again, cursing her luck while tears finally welled up in her eyes. But no, she couldn't; she hadn't left Winchester behind yet ... it was too early; she wasn't safe yet. And so, she bit her bottom lip so strongly that she tasted blood, but managed to shed not even a single tear. The train arrived on time, orange and red mixing with the green of the landscape, almost mocking C.C.'s dark mood. Nevertheless, she got on and found a secluded spot by the window. Within a matter of minutes, Winchester was history...

* * *

C.C. only realised that she had fallen asleep when she felt someone's hand on her shoulder.

"Excuse me, Miss, but this is the final destination." A middle-aged man said; he had a crooked smile.

"Oh ... where am I?" she muttered, confused, trying to focus on something.

"Portsmouth Harbour, Miss, you didn't miss your stop, did you?"

"Oh no, I wanted to go to Portsmouth Harbour. Must've fallen asleep." C.C. got up, trying to grab all her things at once, not at all keen on feeling like a fool again, even though she didn't know this man at all.

"That's alright, Miss, happens to the best of us. Pleasant onward journey." He gave her his crooked smile again and then left.

C.C., too, got off the train and made her way to the front of the platform where she instantly saw the signs pointing to the Fastcat hovercraft, the quickest way of getting to the Isle of Wight. She walked down a ramp, her heavy suitcase crashing painfully against her heels a couple of times, and purchased a one-way ticket before sinking down in one of the comfortable chairs in the waiting area. She merely sat there for a while and watched the orange numbers of the display lighting up the screen, telling her when her boat would arrive. But then, she snapped open her purse and extracted a mirror to check her appearance; she had been asleep, after all. Her hair was a little messy, her mascara smudged, and she corrected this hastily. She wasn't in the middle of nowhere anymore, where no-one really cared about the way she looked; no, she was surrounded by people again, back to being C.C. Babcock, the business woman, and as such, she had an image to uphold. Suddenly, a loud beep pierced the silence and stopped her musings; she quickly put the mirror away again to follow the other passengers to the gate. The yellow hovercraft was bigger on the inside than it had first appeared, and so, despite the throng of people, C.C. managed to find a seat by the window. Not that she could see much, as it was grey and miserable outside, the wind sending one wave after another lapping at the window. C.C. sighed, and rested a hand on her tummy, praying that the boat would leave soon so that she could disembark even sooner, before the bumpy up and down would get to her. For once, it seemed that her wish had been granted, for just a few moments later the engine roared to life and the boat set off to its destination. What had started as a slow ride first, soon became a wild roller coaster ride once the hovercraft had left the harbour, and C.C. squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the fifteen minutes to pass. Luckily for her, she managed to make it to Ryde with her dignity intact, and with the coffee she had consumed on the train still inside her. Even so, she was staggering a little when she walked along the wooden bridge that led her to the main land, though she preferred to blame it on the strong winds. The little town of Ryde lay right in front of her, but instead of finding a place to stay there, she hopped on a train to Shanklin, which was further away, subconsciously turning her back on the direction she had come from. She found a room at a little hotel, a room that nearly cost her a fortune, but then again, money had never been a real issue for a Babcock. Her room lay on the top floor and was very big, covering the size of a small apartment, with large windows and doors that led out to a balcony. The view of the sea would've been beautiful, had C.C. not arrived in such horrendous weather. She didn't unpack, but flopped down on her back, staring at the ceiling, exhausted from a trip that had felt longer than it actually was. And yet, a couple of minutes later, she was up on her feet again, the peaceful quietness of her room pressing down too heavily on her, suffocating her. She unzipped her suitcase a little bit and roughly extracted the first warm jumper she could find and threw it on, along with a pair of jeans and some running shoes, and clad like that, she left the hotel. She didn't really know where she was going until she had reached the beach. As she walked, her arms were wrapped around her to keep the jumper closed and prevent the cold air from slipping under it. The sand was wet and soggy, and made progress difficult, but eventually she found a dry spot where the sand was mostly covered by grass, just beneath the intimidating dark cliffs. There she settled down and stared out at the ocean, listening to the storm as it rattled and whistled all around her. And there, in this secluded spot, where no one could hear nor see her tears for the weather, she allowed herself to cry. Humiliation and shame, kept before with a sickening weight in the pit of her stomach, rose to the surface and overwhelmed her. What had she been thinking? What had she even promised herself from this visit to England, from seeing Niles again? She now wished she hadn't admitted to herself, or to his mother, that she had missed him, wished she hadn't implied feelings ... because now this wasn't a mere possibility anymore, an error on her account, but just like her words, her innermost thoughts had taken shape and she couldn't pretend anymore. Once admitted, there was no going back anymore. She cried until her anger at him had left her, cried until she felt completely numb and drained and it was almost too difficult to get up and move.

* * *

The next day she slept in late, completely tired out by the emotions of the previous day. But she awoke to find that the storm had passed, and the sun was shining; only a few clouds could be seen in the sky. Using this to her advantage, she ordered room service and had breakfast on the balcony. The sun warmed her skin and made her feel a little bit more alive again, and after the hearty English breakfast, she even worked up the strength to go for a long walk by the sea. The Isle was beautiful, and showed a variety of landscapes, ranging from the rough cliffs to woods and meadows. In short, she loved it there, and needed the time by herself to forget what had happened in Winchester before.

* * *

"Maxwell and Fran are packing," Niles announced as he wandered into the kitchen, looking a little lost.

"I made them a little packed lunch for their journey." Sue acknowledged with a nod.

"Mother, it's hardly a "journey"; they'll be there in two hours." Niles argued laughing.

"Yes, it's not that far away, is it?" Sue repeated with a meaningful tone and gently pushed her son down on a chair.

"What is this?" Niles asked confused "And why are there three packed lunches?"

"Niles," Sue sighed, sinking into a chair next to him, "what happened between you and Miss Babcock?"

"Nothing," he replied, but sounded almost disappointed.

"Then I don't understand," his mother mumbled.

"What do you mean? What did you think happened?"

"I have eyes, Niles, and I most certainly know when my son is smitten with someone."

"Smitten? With _her_?" Niles exclaimed, crossing his arms in front of his chest defensively.

But before he could utter another word, Sue had raised a hand to silence him.

"Now before you start lying to yourself and me and tell me these stories again from New York how much you hate her ... just think about your days here. The two of you were inseparable!"

"That doesn't cancel out what happened in New York," he argued weakly.

"No, it doesn't." His mother was smiling now. "But darling, why would you spend hours and hours talking about her on the phone when you really hate her as much as you claim to do?"

"I ... I..." he spluttered.

"Exactly! Now Niles ... I talked to Miss Babcock the night before she left. She looked about as lost as you do now ... she didn't want to leave and I'm sure that's not because of the lovely country air. She even considered staying ... because of you..."

"But that doesn't make any sense! Why would she leave then the next morning?"

"That's what I hoped you'd be able to tell me..."

"No ... I can't ... nothing happened ... I mean ... we went to bed on good terms ... and then ... well, I was as surprised as you were. Not a cross word was spoken ... God, I hate that infuriating woman!" and he buried his face in his hands in frustration.

"You should go after her." Sue softly suggested, patting her son's back.

"What? No! It's not my job to travel after Babcock every time she has a mood swing. Besides, you were the one who let her go!"

"Yes, I did. You want to know why? Because she had the eyes of a woman that needed to save herself before it was too late. She would've broken down had I made her stay..."

Silence followed and Niles just nodded his head, allowing the words to sink in. Then suddenly he jumped to his feet and left the room.

"Where's he off to in such a rush?" Henry asked, entering the living room looking clearly puzzled.

"He's packing and he'll leave with Maxwell." Sue explained with a warm smile.

"But why?"

"He's going after the woman he loves, and I know my son; he's just as stubborn as his father." She paused a moment to give her husband a loving kiss. "He won't return without her."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, Hello. Anyone still reading this? lol I know it takes me quite some time to update this...but I hope that at least a few of you are still interested. Now we're already on chapter 5 and this is where things will start to get interesting. Leave me a review, please, and tell me what you think!:)**

**Disclaimer: Niles and C.C. aren't mine...nor are Fran and Max. Kraentzl, however, is mine!:p**

Chapter 5:

It only struck him what he was doing, when he sat squished between Maxwell and Fran in the back of the car, rumbling down the country road. He was going after Babcock. Actually going after the woman he had partly run away from when leaving New York City behind. He didn't know what he was going to say to her yet, but was somehow filled with his mother's confidence that he'd find the right words in time. Although it would be difficult, because one wrong step or one step too soon and he knew he could lose her forever. He just needed to think...

* * *

C.C. in the meantime was packing her things to return to Ryde. She knew that Maxwell and his wife would be there after lunch, but had no desire to encounter them yet. As a matter of fact, she fully intended on keeping busy until evening had come and they'd gone to bed. She wasn't ready yet for Fran's nosy questions... As the train smoothly slid through the landscape, she sprawled out a number of brochures on her lap and scanned through each of them to figure out how she'd spend her day. The weather had been lovely and so she decided that some outdoor activity was needed. After all, once she returned to New York her career would hold her fully enveloped and she had no idea when she'd find the energy again to do something outside.

The hotel Fran had selected was indeed beautiful. It still surprised C.C. when the former nanny, whose dress style was more than crass, actually managed to make an aesthetically pleasing choice. C.C. only left her suitcase in her room though and changed attires and then went outside, where she sat in a cafe for several minutes, just enjoying the sun. When her frappucino was finished and the book she had brought wasn't enough to capture her attention anymore, she strolled down to the bus stop and took a bus to the other side of the Isle to see Osbourne House. Apart from all the tourists that had evidently come to visit the same place, she didn't regret her decision. Osbourne House was painted in a beautiful warm yellow and while big, it didn't seem pompous. She took her time walking around the vast estate and then found a nice spot under a tree on the hill, from where she could enjoy a lovely view of the sea and the mainland in the distance.

* * *

Niles' heartbeat had sped up a little when they had finally arrived at the hotel. Not only was he relieved to find that they had another room available for him, but also that C.C. had already checked in. Getting her room number from the receptionist he went there straight away and knocked. No answer.

"Miss Babcock?" he called, knocking again, but the room remained silent.

"Must've gone out," he mumbled with a sigh and returned to his own room.

The Isle of Wight had been a popular vacation location for the Brightmores, yet with C.C. occupying his thoughts, he felt no desire to go out for a walk in the sun with some ice-cream. Instead he went to sit on the balcony, newspaper in hand, keeping an eye on the street outside.

It had already gone dark when he saw the familiar figure head to the entrance of the hotel. Dropping his newspaper at once he shot out of his seat and to the door. There he paused and decided that it would be smarter to give her a couple of minutes to return before he barged into her room. But the minutes dragged by painfully slowly and so he set off to her room earlier than intended, simply unable to wait any longer. Nonetheless, when he stood in front of her door for the second time that day, he hesitated and swallowed.

"Think of the right words, old man." he told himself and then knocked.

She flung the door open with a smile, which faded once she spotted him. He was speechless and merely eyed her from head to toe, from her beautiful blonde hair to her now slightly tanned long legs, even her face looked slightly flushed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked coolly and the moment was gone.

He cleared his throat and then said: "Could I come in for a moment?"

She didn't answer, nor did she move and for the first time he felt as frightened as the choreographers she yelled at on a daily basis.

"Miss Babcock, I...uh... I wanted to know why you left so early."

"I had business to do." she answered curtly.

"No, you didn't." he insisted "Maxwell might be oblivious to a lot of things, but he knows when you've done your work. Something happened that made you leave... I know that for sure, so don't deny it, my mother told me you had entirely different plans the night before. What happened?"

His worried blue eyes almost made her cave, until she remembered his exchange with Fran, his betrayal.

"I don't need your pity," she barked and slammed the door shut.

At least that would've happened, had Niles not conveniently positioned his foot on the threshold. There was a sickening crunch as the wood hit his foot, but he didn't cry out in pain. Instead he used her brief moment of shock to push the door back open again and enter her room.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Babcock, but I'm not leaving here until you've told me what went on in that thick skull of yours."

"I have no desire to talk to you, Niles. And I cannot wait to be off this Island and as far away from you as I was before. These past few days certainly showed me why I was so relieved when you left. You're nothing but a rude, ignorant domestic!"

And she crossed her arms in front of her chest and strode to the window to bring some distance between them.

"I don't believe that," his voice was so soft she doubted for a moment to have heard it at all. "C.C., I think you realised that you missed me all these years... and that frightened you."

She could feel him drawing closer; felt his body even though he was standing behind her, making no move to touch her.

"You were lonely without me... you missed your sparring partner. So why did you leave? We were doing everything to make you feel welcome. I just don't understand!"

Her breathing had become shallow as she had started to battle the turmoil of emotions within her. Yet it was at a dangerously slow pace that she turned around.

"I was never lonely without you, that's preposterous." she scoffed "In case it has escaped you, I am an attractive, desirable woman and I have power, Niles, and that ensures that I'll never be short of men. So don't even think for a second that I'd miss you, the butler! And you want to know why I left?" she asked and moved closer to him, building herself up to her full height. "I left because I had enough of that pitiful display of love of your servant parents. Do you know how cold it is at night in that little cottage of yours? Did you see the cracked tiles in the bathroom and the chipped paint everywhere else? Your house smells of poverty, Niles, and I couldn't bear the stench of it for another second!"

She could see the rage in his eyes long before he spoke and she felt satisfaction at having managed to hurt him just a bit.

"You are the most disgusting human being I have ever met!" he snarled, anger making his voice tremble.

"Ditto!" she barked in return and allowed her lips to curl upwards into a triumphant smirk when Niles fled her room.

It was a dark victory, however, and as such short-lived and soon C.C. crumbled under the multitude of emotions she had experienced in such a short period of time. She slowly sank down on her couch and poured herself a generous glass of Jack Daniel's with shaking hands. She had almost believed him, the gentle pleading of his tone, his understanding. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply and took a first sip of the strong drink to wash away those feelings. She hated him for having perceived her loneliness, for possessing the insolence of rubbing it in her face. C.C. Babcock was a proud woman and she accepted charity from no-one, no-one! Now when she replayed his words in her mind, she almost thought that his voice hadn't been gentle at all, but mocking and filled with pity. Maybe she had only heard what she had wanted to hear... Swiftly she gulped the rest of her drink down and then buried her face in her hands. Because no matter how justified her anger towards Niles was, she couldn't help but feel guilty about her words. Sue and Henry had been the most accommodating, lovely people she'd ever met. They'd been understanding, funny and kind and their house had been beautiful. She had loved it there, as a matter of fact it had been the first place on earth where she'd truly felt at home. And they didn't deserve this... She sighed.

"But Niles does," a part of her was thinking. Then why was it hurting her to hurt him?

* * *

His anger was so great, that he had almost stormed out of the hotel and back to Winchester on that very night, but then he remembered Fran and Maxwell and how upset both would be, if he simply disappeared without a word of goodbye. And so he stayed till the morning, where he bid his friends a quick goodbye and then left the hotel, before he could run into C.C. He only slowed down when he had reached the pier and inhaled the salty air while trying to clear his head of all thoughts concerning the blonde and their argument. And he would've almost succeeded, had he not suddenly remembered something...

* * *

The atmosphere at the breakfast table was rather frosty, C.C. observed as she approached. Nonetheless, she took a seat and wordlessly looked from Maxwell to Fran while buttering her toast, to see if they had had an argument, which would explain the current situation.

"Miss Babcock, what did ya say to Niles?" Fran abruptly asked, earning a kick under the table from her husband.

C.C. stopped and looked at her, her toast suspended in midair. "What makes you think I said anything to him?"

"Well, considering the man packed half his life in a suitcase to follow you, only to then make a hasty exit the next morning... I'm guessing something didn't go according to plan."

"And that's my fault?" C.C. scoffed, taking a half-hearted bite of her breakfast.

"Well, yes!" the brunette answered bluntly.

"Fran," Maxwell cut in warningly.

"What?"

"I think I'll have my breakfast in my room," C.C. said coolly, rising to her feet and took her food with her, even though she no longer felt hungry.

Over an hour later she found herself in a taxi with Maxwell, driving out to the secluded area of the Island where Arne Kraentzl's atelier was located. Her business partner had been blabbering on for several minutes now, constantly making excuses for his wife's behaviour, but C.C. had become pretty good at blocking out his voice. Instead she focused on the passing landscape again and got a little lost in thought, so that she almost regretted it, when the taxi finally came to a halt. Maxwell paid the driver while she already strolled towards the little hut of the artist. Several peculiar yet beautiful pieces of painted glass and porcelain were hanging from the trees and bushes and chiming together softly, as the wind moved them, and C.C. just stopped and stared for a while, until she remembered which role she'd have to play now.

"You know they're not for sale," a deep voice behind her said and she whirled around.

"Oh, I wasn't looking to buying them...I was just...looking..." she cleared her throat and closed her eyes in annoyance.

The man in front of her shrugged. "Looking is alright...you couldn't pay for them in anyway."

"Why not?" she questioned with a frown and watched as the man's deep brown eyes began to sparkle.

"Because they require happiness...and you don't have any, so you can't pay."

C.C. had just opened her mouth to argue with the impossible man in front of her, when Maxwell appeared by her side and interrupted.

"Mr. Kraentzl, delighted to meet you, Maxwell Sheffield. And this is my business partner, C.C. Babcock."

Rapidly she snapped her mouth shut and instead plastered a fake smile on her face.

"Mr. Kraentzl, I apologise profoundly for not recognising you."

But the man didn't take her outstretched hand, but rather started to frown and said "Yes..." while retreating into his house.

Maxwell and C.C. exchanged a confused look but then decided to follow him.

"Mr. Kraentzl, we were wondering if we could maybe win you for a project on Broadway."

"Broadway, huh? The big stage..." he seemed to contemplate this for a moment, while puffing on his pipe.

"Tempting...though I doubt that my work will fit."

"On the contrary," C.C. chimed in "the audience loves to see new, experimental theatre. You'd be a great asset!"

Once again he frowned and gave no answer. It irked her how the man seemed to respond to Maxwell and not her and she already started to lose all interest in working with him. But she was a good business woman, and she'd certainly not let him see it. They continued to negotiate for a while, yet whenever they thought they had him ready to sign the contract, he'd pull away again.

"I'm just not sure you understand what my work is," he argued, time and time again.

"Mr. Kraentzl, please," C.C. sighed exasperatedly "I would do anything to win you over."

"She isn't kidding, you know?" a rich baritone suddenly said "She'd sell her own mother to the devil."

"Niles!" she growled, grinding her teeth together.

She didn't even turn around to make sure it was indeed him.

"What are you doing here, old man?" Maxwell asked, surprised.

"Miss Babcock had forgotten her blouse in Winchester, and I brought it with me..." he stopped his explanation and flung the item at C.C., aiming so well that it hit her back before it dropped to the floor.

She turned around and fixed him with an angry glare, before picking the blouse up and cradling it to her chest. It smelled like him...

"Why didn't you just leave it?" she asked.

"And be accused of stealing?" he scoffed and stared her down.

"I'm sure C.C. wouldn't have thought..." Maxwell carefully said, but was instantly cut off by his former employee.

"Oh Miss Babcock would, she has a lot of thoughts about servants, doesn't she?" he challenged and C.C. took the bait and rose to her feet.

"Thoughts? It's the truth, just look at yourself! Wanna hear another thought?"

But before Niles had the chance to respond, Arne Kraentzl suddenly exclaimed: "I'll do it! I'll come with you to Broadway!"

"Marvellous!" C.C. beamed and momentarily forgot all about the argument.

"But only," Arne continued, holding up his hand "if this man will be involved as well!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, Hello. I just spent my entire day by the sea and so I managed to finish the next chapter for Fabric ^^ So, I will go now and be more lazy again and leave you guys to review! :p**

**Disclaimer: No matter how hard I try, they still aren't mine!lol**

Chapter 6:

"Absolutely not!" her voice was firm and determined.

Silence ensued immediately afterwards, yet the car continued onward undeterred. There was a bump in the road and all the passengers were moved about and as C.C. grabbed hold of anything within reach, lest she hit her head somewhere, she just caught the butler's smug grin and that was enough to further fuel her ire.

"C.C., Niles hasn't even agreed yet, we're all surprised." Maxwell tried to argue but merely earned a glare.

"Oh Niles has decided..."she grumbled under her breath.

She was certain the nosy butler would tag along now, if only to spite her. Begrudgingly she recalled the amused sparkle in the artist's eyes when he had made that particular request, matched only by his broadening grin when he had determined that they had only one day to make a decision. One day! That was utterly ridiculous! But before she'd even had the chance to voice her opinion on the matter, Maxwell had agreed and dragged her out of the hut. He had whispered words like "success" and "money" to her, urged her to think of the possibilities should they win Kraentzl over. But at the end of the day, it was entirely up to Niles. A fact that made her as uneasy as the whole notion of Niles and her having to work together. Nothing good could ever come of the butler being in control! She just knew that she was incapable of playing ball with Niles; it was against her nature to be nice to him, to shamelessly flatter him, like she did with all their other clients. But then Niles never could be nice to her either...She sighed and almost wistfully thought back to the couple of days in Winchester when everything had been different between them, when something had been there... But she hadn't been herself then, clearly overwhelmed by need and loneliness and he'd been...well, acting out of pity. She swallowed and directed her glance out of the window. Leaving England again and thus leaving Niles and these twisted few days behind had been her lifeline, the one thing she had clung onto. And now it had been taken from her, simply because of some artist's whim. Having Niles back in New York...well, a couple of years ago it would've made her happy, but now... Secretly she knew that she still needed time to lick her wounds, something that was completely impossible with the blasted butler as a constant reminder. On the other hand, what usually helped her get over a tricky situation or a break-up (and quite frankly this felt a lot like a break-up) was to work hard and long hours. So if she refused to cooperate, Kraentzl would refuse to work with them, leaving Maxwell and her to struggle for new job prospects. In short: she couldn't win. And yet she was prepared to try.

"Maxwell, I will not work with that man!" she broke the silence yet again.

"Who? Niles or Kraentzl?"

"Pick!" she exclaimed frustrated and felt a strange elation when she heard the butler chuckle in the background.

"C.C., you are being unreasonable!" Max commented with a frown.

"_I _am being unreasonsable?" she shrieked in return "Maxwell, that man is an old deranged fool! And he insists on working with a goddamn domestic! No-one will ever take us seriously again! Next thing we'll know, he'll want _us _to write the script! And you are calling _me _unreasonable!"

Throughout her rant Niles' chuckle had grown louder and louder.

"What's so funny?" she snapped.

"It bugs you, doesn't it?" he said, leaning forward to challenge her further "That he'd see the potential in a "mere domestic", while he's completely oblivious to your butt-kissing!"

"Now listen here, you sorry excuse for a man-" C.C. began, leaning closer too, reacting to his challenge instantly and a full-blown sparring match would probably have erupted, had Maxwell not interfered once again.

"Niles! C.C.! Please! Let's examine this like rational and calm adults! I am well aware that you two have your differences, but surely they can be put aside for the sake of the business? You two are professional enough, aren't you?"

He had her then and there by appealing to her sense as a business and career woman. She prided herself in her professional attitude, something that shouldn't simply be ignored because of her dislike for the butler. She grumbled her agreement under her breath and expected him to do the same, but when his voice didn't mingle with hers, she looked up at him and saw that he was still smiling calmly. And that's when she realised that in this case being only the butler would pay off. He had no business to run and from her point of view, certainly nothing to be proud of, so he didn't care, And to top it all off, he was in the powerful position to have two wealthy producers at his disposal who needed him for this project. Suddenly the air in the taxi became stuffy and warm and she felt in desperate need for fresh air. She was experiencing something akin to a state of panic at the thought that Niles, who had emotionally humiliated her, would now also be in charge of her. To feel dependent on him again felt too much to handle...And so it happened that she bolted out of the taxi the minute they pulled up in front of the hotel, unfortunately missing the butler's worried look.

"So, old man..." Maxwell interrupted his thoughts "what do you think? Broadway! The Big White Way! Would be quite something, wouldn't it?"

But Niles was only half listening. He got out of the taxi and stretched a bit, still pondering C.C.'s odd behaviour. She hadn't seemed angry anymore, just scared all of a sudden and while he could understand her anger, and it even gave him some sort of satisfaction, he couldn't understand her fear.

"What's going on in your thick head, Babcock?" he murmured to himself.

"What was that, old man?" Maxwell instantly asked, having heard his former butler mutter something.

"Oh...uh...nothing..." Niles said evasively.

Maxwell looked at him silently for a moment, but then continued his quest in winning over his best friend.

"Wasn't it always your dream to become a singer? A wish that was never granted as you had to follow in your father's footsteps? Well, now fortune is smiling on you, old man, this is your chance to make it big! With Kraentzl insisting that you'd be involved in the performance, your name will be read on the marquees! And you know how quickly word of mouth travels in the theatre business! You could be the overnight secret success! If you work with us on this you can make a name for yourself, you can earn more money than you ever had in your entire life!"

And with that he finally had Niles' intention. The butler had most certainly always cared for the finer things in life, things that were essentially out of reach and yet in front of his nose on a daily basis. And yet when he had moved to England he had made peace with his lot in life, partly even accepted that he could be proud of the work he'd done and taken on his father's positive attitude towards the profession. But now with C.C. back in his life, well, he had been reminded again of that one unobtainable goal. This was why for a second; he considered taking Maxwell's offer based on the money he was promised. Because maybe if he was rich, she'd no longer look down on him but actually come to appreciate the man. But then he remembered her hurtful words, both towards him and his parents, and a firm stubbornness returned. Why, if she was truly as haughty as she always showed to the outside world, should he grovel before her and beg her to reconsider? Was she even worth the pursuit when she was this shallow and vain?

"I think about it, Maxwell." Niles said quietly and headed back towards his room alone.

There had been a time once when he could've told himself not to be blinded by what everyone else saw, taken aback by that cold, uncaring exterior C.C. displayed every day. But now...

* * *

The next morning the soft sunlight and blue skies gave no indication of the dramatic turn events had taken the previous night. As a matter of fact, there was even an odd calm over the group as they gradually took their seats at the breakfast table. No-one really spoke, apart from Fran, each of them for their very own reasons. Maxwell was trying to be patient in order to give his friend time to make a decision, C.C. ,because she was trying to come up with a solution to this dilemma and Niles, because he knew that everything was up to him.

"Well, I think the blintzes are very dry; that's why no British man should ever attempt something a Jewish boy can handle since birth." Fran chattered on, earning a look of utter disbelief from her husband. "What? It's true!"

Maxwell shook his head and Niles broke into a smile, that quickly disappeared when he saw C.C. rise to her feet and leave the table.

The atmosphere was subdued still when the three of them found themselves in the taxi once more, heading back to Kraentzl's house.

"So Niles, have you decided yet?" Max asked in what he hoped to be a curious but not inquisitive tone.

The former butler simply nodded. "And?"

"I prefer to tell Mr. Kraentzl my decision personally."

"Oh geez, nobody cares!" C.C. exclaimed annoyed.

"Oh yes?" Niles shot back immediately "Well, perhaps someone better start caring soon then, because I have news for you, Babcock: for once not everything is about you!"

"Now listen to me, Dustmop, and listen good: I don't care! I always sacrifice my time and energy for a new production! But I sure as hell won't bust my butt for a big-headed domestic!"

"You sound like a broken record, Babcock." Niles mocked and luckily for Maxwell the taxi came to a halt then, plunging all of them in sudden silence once more.

Nonetheless, this didn't stop C.C. and Niles from passing angry glares back and forth as they entered the hut. Kraentzl didn't speak at first but merely watched their silent exchange, clearly fascinated. Then, with an air of suppressed giddiness, he asked: "So, what did you choose?"

The moment stretched on forever as suddenly everyone became acutely aware that Niles' following words would shape their destiny.

"I'm in." he finally said, with another mocking, triumphant glance in C.C.'s direction.

"Wonderful!" Kraentzl exclaimed and hugged him.

The curious moment of Kraentzl's intense relief stopped, when they all signed contracts and shook hands.

"Thank you very much again, Mr. Kraentzl," Max said "When could you come to New York with us?"

"Any time, Maxwell, any time. But first, I have a little test!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, Hello!:) So...nothing with the update on Tuesday, I do apologise. But I had a wonderful vacation here in Firenze, that's kept me a little busy. ;) However, I can now give you chapter 7 and hope you'll enjoy it. I'll be heading home tomorrow and hopefully post the semi-final chapter of Proposition on Monday!;) Leave a review and make me happy, please!:)**

**Disclaimer: They aren't mine, but I take them with me wherever I go...**

Chapter 7:

„A test?" C.C. repeated incredulously „you just agreed to sign the contract, you added your requests, why on earth do you need another test?"

"C.C., please," Maxwell whispered urgently, afraid that the deal would fall through last minute, just because of some ill-chosen words.

But on the contrary, Kraentzl seemed rather amused.

"Yes, a test." he repeated with a carefree smile. "For you two." And he pointed at her and Niles.

With a resigned sigh Maxwell closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable.

"Why us?" C.C. screeched.

"Yes, why not him." Niles chimed in "After all, he's part of this whole thing too, why isn't he being tested?"

He sounded like a petulant child.

"Because he doesn't need to be," Kraentzl replied simply and then added with sparkling eyes "you two on the other hand…"

There was a pregnant pause and Niles sank down in a chair.

"Could I offer you some tea perhaps?" Kraentzl proceeded to offer politely, as if he had not just posed another odd request.

"Yes, please." Both Niles and Maxwell chorused.

"While you two play happy teatime with this…fruitcake," C.C. fumed, when Kranetzl was out of earshot "I'll go and do something productive."

And with that she stormed outside. She had, of course, no real intention of doing anything productive, she didn't even know what to do. But Niles' and Max's apparent calm irked her and almost made her explode. There had to be something she could do, some way of getting out of this stupid deal without looking like the weak one who'd crumbled in the end. She was furiously pacing outside Kraentzl's hut until the chiming of his glass art attracted her attention. Rounding the hut she found the tree and bushes the shards were attached to and stood in the middle of them and closed her eyes.

"You need happiness to pay for them…" Kraentzl had said and for one brief, fleeting moment this price seemed appropriate.

The colours were beautiful and the sound calming and she found herself reaching out blindly to touch them. Unbeknownst to her Niles had left the hut too, to call her back inside and tell her off for her rude behavior, but the sight of her twirling in a circle to the melody of the glass had made him stop in his tracks. A soft smile was gracing his features now as he stood and watched. She finally looked at peace with herself again and yet much younger than her chronological age.

"C.C.?" he called her softly, lest he'd startle her.

She turned slowly, as if she wasn't quite sure if she'd really heard him. Her blue eyes were warm and serene and for the first time he saw her again and felt that undeniable pull towards her.

"Yes?" she finally asked.

"Kraentzl has returned, I think you ought to come back inside…"

For a moment he thought she was going to refuse, as she continued to stand where she was, utterly transfixed.

"C.C.?" he repeated, taking a step towards her.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." she finally snapped and he sighed as he felt the sudden distance between them again.

With a silent nod he turned around and headed back into the hut. C.C. remained where she was for just a few more seconds and then touched the deep blue shard of glass with her fingers and then forced herself to straighten up and walk back inside.

The atmosphere was tense again and suddenly C.C. wished for a cup of tea too, if only so that she'd have something to do.

"So what's this test about?" she finally asked, when nobody seemed to want to remind the artist.

"Ah yes…I want you," he pointed at Niles "to write the story for this piece."

"But you are the artist!" Maxwell blurted out.

"Yes, to be quite frank, Mr. Kraentzl," C.C. added "what's really the point of hiring you when you leave all the work to us?"

"What my business partner is trying to say in her own special way," Maxwell hurried to adjust "is that we don't quite understand."

"I'm aware of that," Kraentzl said dryly, looking solely at C.C. "I can assure you that I'll be involved in the creative process, but that doesn't change the task I am now setting. I want you to create a storyline and present it to me tomorrow and I want you," this time he looked at C.C. "to come up with some music for your own storyline."

"But that doesn't make any sense," C.C. interrupted "why would I pick songs for a storyline that isn't even the one Niles will create?"

"It's my test, Miss Babcock, not yours. And with all due respect, I do believe I know what I'm doing. You might not be able to appreciate it yet, but you will…in time."

"Actually, I agree with Miss Babcock," Niles spoke up "and while I do like your creative process where we're all involved, it does seem a bit like a waste of time to set us a task that might lead to nothing."

"Thank you, Mr. Brightmore, for your concern, but I'm sticking to my word and I ask you just to trust me in this. Go home, think of a storyline that audiences might like to see and you, Miss Babcock, think of music for your very own storyline. And tomorrow afternoon at 4 I expect to see your work. Thank you!"

* * *

"He expects to see our work," C.C. repeated in a funny voice some time later, when they were returning to the hotel "Who does he think we are? Schoolchildren?"

Niles chuckled, but when he saw C.C.'s aggravated face, he sobered. "I agree, I don't like the way he's treating us either."

"He was being very polite though." Maxwell argued and was instantly confronted with two pairs of angry blue eyes.

"You shouldn't talk," C.C: snapped "he didn't give you anything to do."

"Well, he did ask me to keep an eye on you two to ensure that you wouldn't collaborate on this."

"Bad moment, Maxwell." Niles pointed out when C.C.'s eyes flashed dangerously.

"I-I won't, of course," the dark haired man began to stammer "you two are grown adults, I didn't think that you would cheat."

The taxi came to a stop before C.C. had the chance to lunge at him and put him in his place. Miffed, she stepped out of the vehicle and headed to her room. There, she poured herself a generous glass of whiskey even though it was only just past noon. Once again she wondered what she had done wrong to be dragged into this whole situation. And as much as she loathed to have to work together with Niles, she did feel relief at knowing that he wasn't enjoying himself. It was certainly much easier to bear than his perfect calm and smug grin. Emptying her glass, she lay down on her bed and thought about the music she liked, the music she had at home.

* * *

A few rooms further, Niles was just rolling down his socks and tossing them aside. On the bed before him were two unopened notebooks, a pen and a pencil. He didn't know where to begin, especially because his mind was still busy trying to comprehend the reason behind Kraentzl's strange request. But eventually he gave up with a resigned sigh and opened one of the books in front of him. It was filled with notes, recipes, photos and the odd herb or flower. It told the story of what he'd been up to these past few years, ever since he'd left New York behind, and the people that had been most on his mind. He sighed deeply and for a moment just watched his whole life unravel as he leaved through the book. Then, he stopped abruptly at a page where the ink still looked fresh, where his handwriting had spiked with excitement. Wistfully he ran his fingertips over the rough pages, as if by touch alone he could just magically travel back in time. But even though that specific wish wasn't fulfilled, he was instead hit by an equally strong force: inspiration! Why not use all his dreams, everything he'd never have, to write this particular story? At least he would have the satisfaction of seeing it all come alive, if only on paper. At least he'd be allowed to dream just a little while longer…

* * *

C.C. returned late at night from a walk on the beach. The wind and the spray of the sea had left a salty coat on her skin and had turned her hair into a tangled mess. Nonetheless, the walk in the storm had helped her and she had now developed a mental list of songs she would enjoy as much as various audience members. But most importantly it fit the story in her head. The only thing she wasn't sure about was whether she wanted a happy ending to please the audience, or to stick to the unhappy one she had originally come up with. She had not been in her room for two minutes, when there was suddenly a knock on the door. Groaning frustrated at the interruption, she crawled out of bed and patted across the carpet with her bare feet.

"Let me in, Babcock." A grinning Niles said, as he slipped into her room, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"I never invited you, what do you think you're doing?" she demanded to know.

"Quit yapping, Babs, I'm here on business."

And he proceeded to make himself rather comfortable on the carpet by the foot of her bed.

"Niles, what on earth?" she screeched again, utterly enraged by his behavior.

"Will you stay quiet for one moment, woman, and listen?" he sighed and she noticed for the first time how tired he looked, so she simply nodded.

"Maxwell, believe it or not, is actually taking his duties very seriously for once and has been checking the corridor to ensure that we're not collaborating on this."

"Well, we aren't," C.C. frowned "what's your point?"

She still hadn't moved from her spot by the door and he registered this with a resigned sigh.

"The point is that we're idiots not to. I mean, I know you, Babcock, whether you like it or not. And I know you cling to your career to make up for the fact that no man will ever come near you."

For a moment his explanation was broken by a sound akin to that a cat would make when someone had stepped on its tail and then the door hit the wall with a bang that drowned out every other noise.

"Out, now!" C.C. demanded, almost shaking with anger.

He was by her side in an instant and calmly but firmly closed the door again.

"He'll hear us if you carry on like this!" Niles then scolded again.

"Well, if you come in here to insult me and expect me to just take it you can think again!" she hissed, taking a step towards him.

"Well, and if you'd have let me finish, we wouldn't-"

"Just spit it out!" she growled.

"You're a professional woman, you want to make money from this piece and while you might lack the basic instincts like human kindness…you do know a good play when you read it. So I suggest you have a quick read over my storyline and we can change bits and maybe we could discuss your music choices too and maybe do alter them to fit with my storyline…I know Kraentzl requested your own one but…that just wouldn't make any sense."

"I agree with you on that," she sighed, as if it had taken great strength to admit so.

"Good then, why don't you start reading while I get us something to drink?" he suggested and she nodded as she took a seat, picking up his notebook from the floor.

"That's a good butler." she then mocked.

"Now, Babcock, I won't let you talk to me like that!"

"Why? I repeat it, Niles, you insult me, I'll insult you back."

"It's always been like that…" he said quietly and she looked up.

When their eyes met, they both knew that the other one agreed, they were back on even, familiar ground now.

"Alright, Butler Boy, let's see what you came up with…"


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, Hello! Sorry it took me so long to update this. But I always take a break after finishing one story, to let it "fade away" which sounds corny,but is true. lol And then I was having serious problems with this chapter...I am aware that it's still crap,apologies for that. Also, I'm currently in Amsterdam for my mum's birthday and will move on to Belgium on Friday to meet negs in real life, which means I probably won't manage another update for a week or so. But R&R still!;) **

**Disclaimer: They aren't mine...you know the drill...**

Chapter 8:

There was a gentle storm passing over Ryde the next morning. C.C. lay, tucked up in the safety and warmth of her bed and just listened to the rain splatter against the window, the howling of the wind and the crashing of the waves in the distance. She felt strangely light-hearted, as if just like the sounds of the storm, her tumultuous feelings were also kept behind a barrier. And for the time being she was just content to listen to the faint noise… Her eyes remained closed and her head lightly rested against the pillows, it was only the lingering trace of his cologne that finally sent her climbing out of bed. Smoothing out her nightgown, she walked past the empty glasses and scattered papers on the floor and to the bathroom. Slowly and with the last remnants of sleep fading away, it was becoming more difficult to block out the questions and doubts. The warm water of the shower was refreshing and calming simultaneously and helped her clear her head. They had been civil…so much she dared to admit, but nothing further. She refused to believe that it meant anything, that they'd merely been forced to work together and that the fact remained that he had been spending time with her out of pity. That she couldn't forget. It was as if that little shred of doubt had wormed its way into her heart and was now making her question everything. Every smile, every laugh, every surprisingly soft comment had to be scrutinized. After all, she had believed him before, had felt…something, only to learn the hurtful truth. How could she trust him? She sighed and washed the traces of shampoo away as easily as the memories.

Niles, too, awoke with the strange feeling that something had changed. He couldn't put his finger on it, however, until he was fully awake. Him and C.C., last night, writing. That was what that feeling of change was all about, yet the more he thought about it the less groundbreaking it felt. They had been given no choice but to collaborate, that was the only reason why Babcock had been civil. He was being a warmhearted fool again and letting his old feelings for C.C. cloud his judgment. He shouldn't hope, after all, she had crushed him once before. She would never find an interest in him, a Babcock and a servant: utterly ridiculous. He sighed and slowly moved out of bed. And yet it seemed that when she was with him like that, that none of this seemed to matter; that it was just them, Niles and C.C. together and nothing else that mattered. But her words still stung, were firmly lodged in his memory. _" I left because I had enough of that pitiful display of love of your servant parents. Do you know how cold it is at night in that little cottage of yours? Did you see the cracked tiles in the bathroom and the chipped paint everywhere else? Your house smells of poverty, Niles, and I couldn't bear the stench of it for another second!" _He knew how C.C. Babcock's defense mechanisms worked, knew that she tended to lash out in order to protect herself, lest anyone get close enough to see how vulnerable she was behind it all. But this? This wasn't something she had said to defend herself, this was how she felt, the truth she had learned from childhood onwards. A truth she had known would hurt him and that she still hadn't been afraid to use. And no, as long as she thought like that, he wasn't willing to let her even remotely close.

* * *

When they all found each other at breakfast a few hours later, Maxwell was the only one who looked excited. He was practically bobbing up and down on his chair, looking from Niles to C.C., clearly straining to ask if they had fulfilled their tasks.

"Yes, Maxwell, I compiled the list of songs." C.C. drawled, sounding bored "But I'm not sure if Butler Boy over here did his job."

They had agreed on this the night before.

"You're just afraid that your precious career might be damaged if I don't deliver the goods. But Babs, I've never been known to disappoint."

She looked up then to catch his eye and smiled a little. It felt right to talk like this again, it was like a gentle reminder of the previous night and yet she did keep wondering if his words were mainly teasing or if there was some ounce of truth in them. His eyes, however, didn't give anything away and still she kept staring at him, much like she'd done a few hours ago.

"_So?" Niles asked, there was a little smug smile on his face that bothered her. _

_She lifted a hand to silence him and used the other to push her reading glasses up to sit on the crown of her head. Tiredly she rubbed her eyes, her body exhausted from walking in the storm and her heart recovering from the hurt listening to certain songs had evoked. The expression in his eyes changed to an almost worried one and she swallowed, wanted to believe that he cared. He had just opened his mouth to say something when she interrupted him._

_"Your handwriting is so tiny it takes me hours to get through one page." _

_"Maybe you just need stronger glasses." Niles shot back but she only rolled her eyes. _

_"Just busy yourself for a while, preferably without making a sound." _

_"Sorry, Babs, I'm not like your last lover." he grinned and she groaned in frustration. _

_Unable to say anything to this she poured herself and him another glass of whiskey and pushed the drink into his hand. Taking a sip of her own she slid her glasses back into place and continued scanning his script. The first thing that struck her as odd, was that the man character was a woman, she had firmly expected him to write about himself. The characters seemed strangely familiar, yet not entirely so. Something was off or different about them. But Niles remained silent and made it possible for her to do her job as swiftly as she would've done any other one. When she finished, she put the papers aside and emptied her glass in one big gulp. Niles was still silent, but his eyes were boring into hers. _

_"It's good," she nodded, which was an understatement really, but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing how impressed she truly was. _

_"You were doubting," he commented with a knowing grin. _

_"Well, sure, it's not often that someone goes from butler to world-class writer." _

_"I wasn't aware that the two are mutually exclusive." he replied, but she merely shrugged. "Being rich doesn't make you a good Broadway producer either."_

_"Watch it, handywipe, or your work will be gone in a second." she said threateningly and picked up the papers again. _

_"Despite the way you feel towards me, Babcock, I'm not an idiot," he said with a grin "now hand me those papers like a good girl and your precious career while remain intact." _

_Her glare was strong and deadly, but the former butler didn't even flinch. _

_"Alright," she deflated with a sigh and passed the script back to him. _

_"Now let's take a look at your song list." _

_She scrambled to her feet and grabbed it from the nightstand. _

_"There," and while he read through it, she emptied another glass of whiskey. _

_"You have good taste in music," he said quietly and the shadow of a smile washed over her face. _

_"Thank you," she nodded "so what do you think?" _

_"It's good," he admitted "but it doesn't fit properly yet…let's see." _

_Pouring herself another drink, she watched with fascination how he took the cap off the pen and chewed at the tip. Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she turned her head away. She'd never hear the end of it if Niles caught her watching._

* * *

The rest of the day passed fairly peacefully, as someone both of them had called a truce and if they did talk to each other, they conversed in the same old way of bickering and teasing everyone else was used to.

"Ah Miss Babcock, Mr. Brightmore," Kraentzl greeted them when they entered his hut, completely ignoring Maxwell for the time being "did you fulfill the task like I asked you to?"

They both nodded and muttered reluctant words under their breath.

"And I made sure they didn't collaborate." Maxwell said, puffing his chest out pompously.

"Of course," Kraentzl's eyes briefly flickered to him, before they rested on Niles and C.C. once more "well, let me see, let me see."

At first everybody was holding their breath as they watched the artist read what they had come up with, but slowly the minutes stretched on to hours and the tension left the room. The sun was setting by the time Kraentzl put the scripts down on his table.

"Well, that was certainly interesting." he mumbled, though he didn't look like a man who had just enjoyed a new play, there was a deeper curiosity to him.

"So that means?" Maxwell carefully ventured to say.

"That means you have passed the test, this is very worth investing my time in. Book the next flight to New York, I'll be delighted to join you!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello, Hello. :) Well guys, I actually managed to write the new chapter for this and will try and tackle the next chapter tomorrow ;) We're on our way back to New York and lets see what our favourite group is getting up to, shall we? Please read&review and let me know if you're still interested.**

**Disclaimer: They don't belong to me...but they make a lot of things easier ;)**

Chapter 9:

There was an eerie silence on the Island when C.C. awoke the next morning. Tiredly she turned around and switched off the annoying sound that was emanating from her alarm clock. The red digits read 5:00 and between her 3 hours of sleep, the planning and the smug butler, the prospect of a 6 hour flight to New York didn't serve to heighten her spirits. For a moment she contemplated to simply remain in bed, the covers thrown over her, so she could ignore the rest of the world. She hadn't asked to be in this difficult situation with Niles, not asked to have to deal with another eccentric artist and certainly not asked for a quick flight to New York with all of them in tow. But the moment passed and C.C. found back to her old pragmatic self that told her to just get her ass out of bed and deal with whatever life was throwing at her.

She showered and then dressed in one of her business outfits and then packed the remainder of her suitcase, before exiting her room. The hotel was quiet as she made her way down the corridor and towards the stairs. Sighing she looked around feebly for a bellboy who'd carry her luggage, but found none and decided that she'd simply have to do it by herself. This endeavor went relatively smoothly, until almost at the bottom of the staircase her heels dug deeply into the plush carpet causing her to twist her ankle. She surely would've fallen if not suddenly out of nowhere a warm arm had wrapped around her waist and steadied her. She found herself pressed against a soft chest and even before the low chuckle resounded in her ears, she knew who had come to her aid.

"Clever choice, Babcock, wearing heels when you have a full day of travelling ahead." Niles quipped and made no move to release her.

"If you don't let go in a second, you'll find my heels stuck in your manhood." she growled in return.

To her satisfaction he shivered and took a step away, untangling himself from her. C.C. breathed in deeply, trying to erase whatever physical response his nearness had evoked and circled her foot to assess the damage.

"Are you ok?" he asked quietly from the other side of the stairs.

His blue eyes were focused on her ankle and showing true concern.

"I've had worse," she gave him a small crooked grin.

"Like that first night when you ran away in the rain?" he softly continued.

God, she wanted to turn back time and be in that little pub with him again.

_"No, it was all a lie."_ she reminded herself and squared her shoulders. "Bring my suitcase downstairs, will you?" she said haughtily and hobbled down the stairs.

"I'm not your-"

"Once a butler, always a butler." she called and moved on undeterred.

"Always running away…" he mumbled quietly and followed suit.

* * *

It was a rather extraordinary group that met that day at Ryde's ferry port. Niles and C.C. lost in thoughts, Maxwell tired and concerned and Kraentzl and Fran, the only colourful highlights of the group. Kraentzl was clad in what could only be described as all colours of the rainbow, his emerald wrap completing the outfit. While everyone else had looked away as if they'd just stared too directly into the sun, Fran had immediately fallen in love with it and spent the first few hours of the journey discussing where she could acquire such an outfit.

"Colours represent happiness," Kraentzl had said and the former Nanny had nodded eagerly, soaking up every word."You see Miss Babcock is dressed very formally in black and white, which suggests she is a very somber person, she needs to let the happiness in."

"Or maybe it simply suggests that I have a sense of style," C.C. muttered under her breath.

"Mr. Brightmore here is a bit more open," Kraentzl continued as if C.C. hadn't said a thing "just look at his burgundy scarf. However, all of the pastel colours he's wearing suggest that his personality is muted…he isn't quite in touch with himself or his abilities."

Niles gave a little smile that was more to humour the man than a sign that he agreed with him.

"So you mean that if Niles would put on your wrap, Mr. Kraentzl, he'd suddenly become superman because all his powers would be unleashed?" C.C. mocked, chuckling softly.

"No, certainly not, Miss Babcock." The artist replied calmly "But maybe if he did wear it, you'd finally realize what's in front of you."

She remained silent for the rest of the journey, so did Niles, if also for an altogether different reason.

* * *

They were already stressed when they arrived at the airport check-in. Everyone's nerves were hanging by mere threads because of the time of day they had left the island and the general tension that was in the air, ever since Kraentzl had so candidly spoken his mind.

"C.C. Babcock, on the New York flight." she said, slapping her passport down in front of the clerk.

"You're late," the man scolded "another 5 minutes and you would've missed check-in."

"But I didn't, did I?" she replied through gritted teeth.

But the clerk merely gave her a pointed look and typed her details into the computer. C.C. had only long enough to ponder if the entire world was out to hate her that day, when the man spoke again.

"Row 64, seat E."

She stared at him for a few minutes, unmoving.

"Listen, I still have about 20 other people to check in and as you know we're nearly out of time so-"

"That seat is not acceptable." she said curtly.

"Well, I'm sorry, lady, but you show up late, that's what you get."

"I was not the only one who showed up now! As you just pointed out there are still a number of people behind me AND this group," she pointed over her shoulder "who just arrived with me. Now I don't recall them being seated at the rear of the plane, nor in the middle row."

"Think she's gonna cause a scene?" Fran muttered to her husband.

"Isn't she already?" Maxwell replied, looking as if he'd like to disappear on the spot.

To everyone's surprise Niles, who had his eyes glued to C.C., calmly said: "She's just scared."

But before anyone could ask something in return, C.C. had given up her fight with the clerk and marched past them. Reminded that they still had to pass the security check the group followed suit.

* * *

A little while later C.C. used the size of Heathrow airport to disappear from everybody's sight. It was proving to be a difficult day for her and all she really wanted was to disappear into a quiet room with a large bottle of Jack Daniel's. Well, thankfully the duty free shops could fulfill at least that particular dream. Still, she'd require a large part of this to make her forget about her fear of flying. She shuddered slightly when her flight number was called out via the intercom and miserably trudged to the gate.

There were crowds of people all crammed into the tiny waiting room and C.C. tried to push her way through it to reach Maxwell and the others. To her great annoyance someone bumped into her just before she could reach them, causing her to drop her handbag and scatter the contents everywhere. Cursing under her breath she bent down to collect her things and then continued onwards. It was only when the air hostess checked her ticket on the plane, that she realized that she was no longer holding her own.

"Wh-where?" she stammered pathetically.

"Seat 18a, right here at the front." The woman replied patiently, flashing another pearly-white smile.

C.C. followed her direction and sank down in the comfortable chair, stretching her legs. How on earth had she managed to get here?

"Very nice," Kraentzl muttered as he passed Niles on his way to seat 65d.

"Mmh?" the former butler asked, stopping in mid-motion.

"You switched your ticket with Miss Babcock's, because you knew she was scared of flying and would've been uncomfortable here."

"Did not," Niles grumbled and continued to store away his bags.

"Then how come you're right here with me while she's at the front looking completely confused?"

"The woman's blonde, she's naturally confused." Niles replied and slid into his seat.

He picked out the in-flight magazine and pretended to read it, hoping that Kraentzl would get the hint and ask no more nosy questions. But to his annoyance the artist had other plans. Granted, he didn't pursue them until they were in the air, but the minute the fasten seatbelts signs had been switched off, Kraentzl had appeared by his side.

"How long has Miss Babcock had this fear of flying?" he inquired.

It took Niles a moment to answer, for he had firmly reckoned with questions concerning their relationship.

"Well uh…as long as I can remember, really. She hates it…and she hates even more that I know." he chuckled at this "You see, she always acts like such a tough, strong woman that the tiniest hint of weakness…or dare I call it humanity is viewed as a great embarrassment."

Kraentzl nodded and took a moment to digest this. "Do you know why she is afraid of flying?"

Niles frowned and tried to think back. "If anyone knew then it would be Sara…Maxwell's late wife…her and C.C. were rather close. But if you want my opinion?"

The artist nodded, an almost greedy expression in his eyes.

"I don't think it has to do with some traumatic experience. I think it's because when she's on a plane she is completely dependent on a stranger. She isn't in control of the machine, the weather…she can't possibly check if everything is working properly. So she has to trust in what she's been presented with and that's an enormous obstacle for her."

Kraentzl considered this again. "But couldn't the same be said for a train or a boat?"

"Mmh?"

"You know…she can't control the elements, nor the machine…" he trailed of.

"Well, yes." Niles agreed.

"But she isn't afraid of them?"

"No…but flying…it involves the possibility of being dropped, of falling…and Miss Babcock certainly hates to fall…"

* * *

A few hours later a calm had fallen over the plane, only occasionally shattered by muffled yawns or the ripping of packets of crisps. Fran Sheffield had long since given up on entertainment after she had spotted no Streisand movies on the little computer in front of her. Her husband was deeply asleep and she longed to do the same was, however, incapable to do so.

"Stupid oreos…" she muttered under her breath but then broke into a grin when Kraentzl slid into the seat next to her.

"I hope I'm not bothering you, my dear?"

"Not at all, you're actually rescuing me from the jaws of boredom…oy…a few days with the Brits and I begin to talk like Shakespeare." And she let out her honking laugh. (Groans of annoyance could be heard from several passengers in the vicinity)"Couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"No…plagued by an insatiable thirst…" Kraentzl replied.

"Oh yeah…I know…service here is really bad, isn't it?" Fran asked, nudging him.

"Oh no, my dear, I mean thirst of knowledge, curiosity."

"Ow…now that's my area of specialty. What can I help you with?"

"Mr. Brightmore and Miss Babcock…how long have they known each other?"

At the prospect of a good gossiping session Fran's eyes began to sparkle instantly.

"Well, Niles has been with Maxwell for all his life…used to be his butler, that's how him and Miss Babcock met."

"And she worked as…?"

"Well, first Maxwell's secretary but then she became his business partner…"

"Interesting…interesting…so he was a butler?"

"Yes, the best. He has a great big heart, that man, surprising that no woman has snatched him up yet…and witty, very dry, had all of us in stitches…including Miss Babcock, come to think of it."

"She enjoyed his humour?" Kraentzl pressed.

"Well, it's difficult to describe. They both had a kind of routine…sorta like a verbal bickering match, both seemed to enjoy it though."

"What makes you say that?"

"That's easy…I mean…after Niles left Miss Babcock wasn't the same anymore. She was even more short with anyone who'd even dare talk to her…I don't know, she seemed subdued too for a while…I'd say Niles kept her calm, if that wasn't such a huge contradiction."

She laughed again and then looked a little uncertain when the artist made no move to speak again.

"You know calm…when they fought…she was never calm, he got under her skin…"

"Precisely," Kraentzl muttered and nodded "precisely…now you said Mr. Brightmore quit…why was that?"

"Oh actually I don't know…you'd have to ask my husband." And she turned around to wake him up.

"Let him be," Kraentzl interrupted gently "I have enough to consider for one flight…"

And with that he returned to his seat.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hello, Hello. Well, no struggles with this chapter, thank God. And I'm actually rather pleased with it, hopefully so will you!;) I'm very grateful that each chapter is still getting so many reviews and I very much hope this will continue. :)**

**Disclaimer: They aren't mine but they make life better.**

Chapter 10:

Even though C.C. had been incredibly scared of the flight to begin with, she still managed to sleep through most of it. Nonetheless, she was in a grumpy mood when they landed at JFK a few hours later.

"Ah, home sweet home!" Fran exclaimed, the only remaining one of the group who hadn't lost her cheerful spirit, after Kraentzl had suddenly become very quiet and thoughtful.

C.C. shrugged and decided that she would be grateful for every minute the artist was silent and instead went to retrieve her suitcase from the conveyor belt. Once the piece of luggage in question was securely in her grasp, she strode to the dark-haired producer and built herself up in front of him.

"I'll be going home now, Maxwell, call me when Kraentzl has settled in and rehearsals will start. Goodbye!"

And without awaiting another word, she turned around and walked away. It wasn't so much that she was keen of getting rid of the group (though Fran's spontaneous suggestion of going out for a meal had strengthened her resolve), but more that she yearned for her own four walls again. Pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, she got on the next best taxi she could find and watched as the airport whizzed past. They got stuck in traffic, of course, once they had reached the city and whatever brief feeling of euphoria she may have experienced, was disappearing again quickly. Yes, she was coming home, but that didn't mean that anything would change. Well, at least she could now withdraw to her own private space whenever she needed it, but the fact remained that Niles was still too close for her liking, she certainly would've preferred to have seen him an ocean away.

"Ma'am, I don't have all day." The cab driver muttered and that's when she realized that they must've been standing in front of her building for quite some time.

"Oh…sorry…"she mumbled and paid him what she owed, including a generous tip.

God, she was making rookie mistakes. Under normal circumstances she would've just snapped right back at the man and told him where he could stick his money. Giving a brief nod and a small smile to Charlie the doorman, she lugged her suitcase to the elevator and went upstairs to her penthouse. Finally excitement bubbled up again in the pit of her stomach at the prospect of her comfortable bed, her little Pomeranian and her great collection of spirits. But before she had even pushed the door open she remembered that no furry friend was there to greet her and that her first errand would take her to the kennel to pick up Chester. Firmly deciding not to be disheartened by this, she moved inside and carried her suitcase to her bedroom. She'd safe the unpacking for later. Instead she disappeared into the bathroom, rid herself of all her clothes and drew herself a nice bath. It did feel nice to be home again. With a deep sigh she sank into the tub and closed her eyes for a moment.

* * *

"So are ya coming home with us, Scarecrow?" Fran asked and nudged Niles in the ribs.

He drew his attention away from the retreating figure of the blonde and instead focused on the pair of chocolate brown eyes that were watching him intently.

"Sorry?" he asked, trying to remember what she had been saying.

"Just wanted to know if you'll be coming back to the house with us." Fran replied with a smile, but there was an air of impatience around her.

"No, actually…I…" he trailed off.

He had made his decision some time ago that he wouldn't move in with them again, but with the whole C.C. situation he hadn't really given much thought where else he'd live or how he'd approach the precarious issue.

"It'd really be no trouble," Maxwell chimed in, giving him a reassuring smile.

"No, I know, I didn't question your hospitality. I just think…" he sighed, knowing that his opinion would stir some old problems "I just think that given our history it would be wiser if I wouldn't move in again."

"Oh…." Maxwell simply said and there was an awkward pause, even Fran looked slightly uncomfortable "well, if that is what you want, old man?"

"Yes, it is." Niles answered firmly.

"But where are ya gonna live?" Fran asked worriedly "You have no family here…no friends except for us!"

"Why, thank you." Niles commented dryly.

"Well, ya know what I mean." Fran hurried to amend.

"Yes, don't worry." he gave her a calming smile "And I appreciate your understanding."

Even though he could already see that he had hurt Maxwell's feelings. Sighing he excused himself for a moment to retrieve his suitcase. When he returned Fran was whispering urgently to her husband who in turn was passively nodding his head.

"Don't worry, he'll forgive you." Kraentzl suddenly quietly said.

"I didn't do anything wrong, there's nothing to forgive." Niles coolly replied, even though he hoped that the artist was right.

Breaking away from him, Niles approached the dark- haired producer who looked less than happy.

"Will it always be like this from now on, Niles?" the man asked, before he could speak "Will this always stand between us?"

"Max," Niles sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder "this has nothing to do with it. But…I'm not your butler anymore and this isn't a weekend stay or a vacation, this could be for weeks or months. I think I need my own space and I hope you understand."

For a moment the brown eyes were observing him pensively, then he gave a small nod. Niles knew he had made things better, but he was also aware that Maxwell's guilt would always make him analyse the tiniest exchange between them.

"But really, Scarecrow, where are ya gonna stay?" Fran asked worriedly.

"With me at the hotel," Kraentzl chimed in and for the first time since meeting him, Niles was glad for the man's input.

"Well, then it's settled." Max nodded with a smile and the group took this as a sign to walk out of the airport.

* * *

"Just relax for a while, hun, while Max sorts everything out. There's still a lotta work ahead of you." Fran commented, while eying the cab driver nervously who was lifting her many pieces of luggage into the trunk of the car.

"Don't worry, Fran, I will. Not as young anymore as I used to be." And he flashed his boyish grin.

"Nonsense, Mister, with that gorgeous smile of yours the women will flock in herds to you."

"As long as they're not as stupid as sheep, I won't argue." he chuckled in response.

"Fran, the children are waiting for us!" Maxwell called from inside the cab.

"All came back to see us," Fran pointed out for the umpteenth time, slapping Niles' chest "would ya believe it?"

"Well, they do love you." he replied with a warm smile and hugged her briefly.

"Mrs. Sheffield, it was my pleasure." Kraentzl said and shook her hand, which she soon turned into an embrace as well.

"Pleasure's all mine and make sure to send me the sketches of your coat asap."

The artist nodded and a moment later it was only him and Niles on the sidewalk.

"Well then, Mr. Brightmore, shall we continue to our resort?"

Niles couldn't help but chuckle at this, but then noticed the man's serious face and quickly tried to hide it and pass it up as a cough. They slipped into the next taxi and started their journey into the heart of the city. The hotel was a little bit too posh for Niles' liking who, at that very moment, would've given anything to return to the peace and quiet of his English hometown. But on the upside they knew that Kraentzl was a rather eccentric and highly popular artist and therefore had no trouble preparing another room for Niles.

"I will see you at breakfast, my boy." The man said, before exiting the elevator, leaving Niles to wonder if he had suddenly grown younger over the course of the past few hours.

As a matter of fact, he was quite happy that his room lay a floor above Kraentzl's, right at the top of the building. It gave him some distance to everything that had happened, for somehow the artist had come to signify everything had transpired between him and C.C. and would transpire still. And now here, standing by the window on the fifth floor of the building overlooking Central Park, Niles finally felt free. Maybe the future wouldn't be so bleak as he had felt before, maybe everything would turn out to be alright and he would finally learn to move on.

* * *

"Go away," C.C. muttered, when her doorbell rang for the second time that morning.

Granted, it was already past 10 but her body was still on London time. She had been certain that whoever it was would get the hint eventually and leave her alone, but the person apparently was very dense or required her attention urgently. Muttering several more curses, C.C. swung her legs over the side of the bed and trudged to open the door. She had to rub her eyes when she found the tall blonde woman in front of her to make sure she wasn't still dreaming.

"D.D.?" she finally managed incredulously.

"The very same, hi sis." The young woman replied, pecking her cheek and moving past her into the apartment.

C.C. remained by the door for a moment, but then collected herself enough to turn around and close it behind her.

"What brings you here?"

"Well, I thought it was time I'd pay you another visit…you know, go to the beauty parlour, get our hair and make-up done. And judging by your current look I arrived in the nick of time." And she let her eyes disdainfully wander over C.C.'s body.

"Always appreciate your candor this early in the morning." she muttered.

"This early? Sis, it's past 10 already…are you sick?"

C.C. , however snatched her hand away, before her sister could examine her temperature in this faux-compassionate fashion.

"No, I'm perfectly fine. I just returned from London last night. There is such a thing as jetlag."

"Ah yes, happens more to older people, I've heard." D.D. nodded, completely oblivious to her own words.

C.C. took a deep breath and tried to remain calm.

"So…are you coming?" her sister pressed.

"Coming?"

"To the beauty parlour, my god you are slow today."

"Yes, sorry." C.C. snapped "But I'd rather go back to bed…"

"You won't get rid of the jetlag that way."

Taking another deep breath of air C.C. decided that D.D. might, for once, have a point and nodded "Give me a moment to change."

And she retreated to the safety of her bedroom, leaving her sister to entertain herself, as she was certain nosy D.D. would. Opening her wardrobe she cursed when she remembered that all her good outfits were in her suitcase, probably wrinkled and impossible to wear. As if it wasn't enough that her little sister had shown up without any warning, now she would also have to look like a right slob next to the woman who had always been her greatest competition in terms of beauty. D.D. was four years younger than her, with long, flowing blonde hair and piercing blue eyes that captured any man's attention. And if that wasn't enough she also had the perfect slim figure to boot. After a few moments C.C. reappeared wearing some casual black business pants and a simple white blouse.

"Now really, every time I see you, you have to wear one of those ridiculous pants…" D.D. criticized as they headed out the door "you are a woman for heaven's sakes, show a bit of leg!"

C.C. closed her eyes and swallowed down a snappy retort. Little did her sister know that she wore skirts plenty of times to impress the men in her environment, but she sure as hell wouldn't tell her that she felt too fat around her to slip into a skirt now.

* * *

Even though she hadn't particularly liked the idea at first, C.C. was now quite enjoying herself at the beauty parlour. She was lying on a comfortable chair, one woman attending to her nails, the other one giving her a gentle face massage. D.D. who had been endlessly droning on about her various flings, had finally had to shut up when the masseuse had spread facial cream around her lips. C.C. had made a mental note to give the woman a generous tip. Now that the silence engulfed her and the hands of the masseuse were so soothing on her skin, she allowed her thoughts to drift. She wouldn't see Niles for a while…a part of her had felt a sense of loss at first but now she was reaching the conclusion that maybe distance would do them some good. Yes, it was time to focus on herself for a while. The massage continued for another 20 minutes and was followed by a complete makeover. And when C.C. looked into the mirror and saw the strong blonde of her freshly dyed hair and the red of her lips she smiled. The Bitch of Broadway was back.

* * *

It was around 3 pm in the afternoon and Niles was standing by the sink brushing his teeth, when a knock on the door caught his attention. Calling back in what could only be described as toothpaste gibberish the caller didn't seem to understand, he saw himself forced to answer the door.

"Ah busy I see, my boy." Kraentzl said, after having taken one look at him.

Niles nodded and headed back to the bathroom, the artist on his heels.

"I've been thinking about our living arrangements and it occurred to me that we can't live here forever, it is quite expensive and one does feel like a beast in a cage."

Niles nodded and continued to brush.

"So here's my suggestion. Why don't we both rent an apartment together?"

"Together?" he echoed, spitting out the toothpaste.

"Yes, we both don't have very much money, we're around the same age. It could be fun, couldn't it?"

Less than thrilled with the idea Niles, however, reminded himself that he was talking to the man who could possibly ensure him a lot of money in the future and so he chose to be wise.

"Yes, fun. But it is rather tricky finding properties in New York."

"Not when one has a knowledgeable source." Kraentzl argued.

"That's certainly true but…"

"Miss Babcock."

"What about her?"

"She has connections…" the man explained.

"Yes, but…" Niles sighed, not liking where this was going.

"We should ask her, I'm sure she'd be delighted to help."


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello, Hello. Well, happy to tell you that chapter 11 of this is now up. :) I seem to have overcome my writer's block for this *hopes she doesn't jinx it* and it's all flowing nicely and as planned again. Please, leave me some reviews so I know your thoughts and interest in this!;)**

**Disclaimer: They may not be mine...but they've brought me a lot of happiness...in many different ways! :)**

Chapter 11:

"Delighted?" Niles repeated shocked "Have you met the woman?"

Kraentzl merely chuckled, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes.

"I think she'd be the last person to help us," Niles continued honestly, walking back to the bedroom.

"Now aren't you being a little negative, my boy?" the artist finally chimed in.

Niles closed his eyes and took a deep breath, attempting to remain patient. After all, Kraentzl only knew C.C. for a short period of time. Certainly enough to get a vague idea of the kind of person she was, but not enough to fully grasp her.

"Why don't we just ask Maxwell?" he questioned, grasping at straws "He has just as much influence as Miss Babcock…and a heart…" he added under his breath.

"That might be, but given the situation or what I know of it, I would've thought you'd rather not fall back on Mr. Sheffield's help."

Niles sighed once more and rubbed his eyes. This discussion definitely hadn't been planned for this day as he was clearly not ready yet to make such decisions. Kraentzl was right, after rejecting Maxwell's gracious offer at the airport, it would be rather unwise to now come back and ask for his support. As if knowing that Niles had understood the circumstances, the man added: "And Mrs. Sheffield is out of the question. As nice and helpful as she may be, her circle of friends doesn't quite reach the area we're interested in."

"Yes, yes…we have no choice." Niles muttered, waving his hand dismissively "Miss Babcock it is."

"Good, "he rubbed his hands gleefully "when can you go and talk to her?"

"Whoa, back up." Niles said firmly "When did we decide that I would talk to her. I mean, after all this is your idea and it concerns the two of us."

"But you have the better connection to her," Kraentzl reasoned.

"You clearly haven't been paying attention." Niles deadpanned.

"Well," the artist spread his hands and sat down on the corner of the bed "I have heard one or the other story about the two of you and I have seen you in action but…"

"But what? If…and that's a big if…Miss Babcock even lets me finish explaining, she will never voluntarily help me."

"Are you sure you're not being all too negative?" Kraentzl repeated and Niles sighed deeply.

This clearly wasn't leading to anything and trying to make him understand was as pointless as convincing C.C. but with her he had at least some experience.

"I'll go and talk to her tonight."

* * *

Even though C.C. hadn't been all too pleased about D.D.'s sudden appearance to begin with, she now was quite glad for her company. It had made forgetting about Niles more easy and she had also found back to her Babcock roots more rapidly.

"God, the face of that heavy-handed waiter, Chastity when you told him that a few years ago they would've chopped his hands off at his clumsiness." D.D. chuckled, walking into the apartment and dropping her shopping bags all over the room.

C.C. followed suit, smiling giddily.

"Well, I just reminded him of where his place was." she replied, immensely enjoying herself.

"Beneath you," D.D. giggled "but then, aren't they all?"

C.C. tried to regain control over her facial expressions and gave her sister a look that suggested she knew of the double entendre but had no desire to pursue the topic further.

"Oh come on, C.C., that professional business woman act doesn't work with me. You know, it's always the ones that you'd least suspect of having a sex life that are the kinkiest."

"Kinky?" C.C. repeated, now unable to stop herself from laughing "Me? Hardly…"

"Chastity, we've always known that this name was highly inappropriate for you, because you _are_ in fact highly inappropriate… Daddy doesn't want to think of his little angels as sexually active and Noel…well, he's just a boring nerd. But not us…" she gestured between them, a playful grin on her face.

C.C. nodded and waved her hand dismissively, disappearing into the kitchen to get herself a glass of Whiskey.

"So tell me," D.D. continued once she had returned and was leaning against the wall, casually sipping from her drink "when's the last time you had sex?"

C.C. choked a bit and rubbed her chest to make the burning sensation disappear.

"I don't really feel like discussing this with you."

"Ah, that long, huh?" D.D. asked softly.

"No…I just…" she sighed again "I just don't like talking about these things. I think it's a private matter and-"

"Please, you sound as bad as mother." D.D. interrupted, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, Deirdre, yes, it has been some time, but even if it had happened yesterday I'd feel no desire to disclose the details."

"Ok, I give up." And she lifted her hands in defeat "But one last thing: when's the last time a guy has really gotten under your skin? Because I think, you'd be more than willing to talk if that had been the case."

C.C. averted her eyes and set her glass down on the counter.

"I'm going to take a shower now," she mumbled and then exited to her bedroom.

It wasn't so much the topic that had made her feel so uncomfortable, but rather the fact that D.D.'s questions had conjured up the last sex dream she had had; a rather vivid one involving the blue-eyed butler. Slipping out of her clothes, she grabbed a fresh towel and headed to the bathroom. She hadn't been under the refreshing stream of water for five minutes, when her thoughts drifted back to her dream and her fantasy took over. Suddenly she could picture him standing behind her, his firm chest pressed against her back, steady and calm. One arm slipped around her waist, the other exploring her thighs, teasingly grazing her core, before moving up to tenderly caress her stomach. He hummed against the skin of her neck, his voice sending thrills down her spine. Then his hands started to move again, tracing the supple mounds of her breasts, following the rim and then she turned her head around to capture his lips in a heated kiss and-

"Enough!" she almost yelled and slipped out of the shower.

"Is everything ok?" D.D. asked, who had stormed into the bathroom "I heard screaming!"

"Shampoo…in my eye…" C.C. managed lamely and grabbed a towel to wipe her face.

Having been assured that everything was alright with her sister, D.D. left for the living room again without giving C.C. another glance, whose chest was still rising and falling rapidly.

* * *

He caught his reflection in the elevator mirror and inwardly cursed his own stupidity for making an effort of dressing nicer. He knew that C.C. would probably notice and given their relationship would probably not waste any time in teasing him about it. Niles told himself that he hadn't done so in order to impress her or make her change her mind, but rather to increase his chances of gaining her help concerning the apartment hunt. Stepping out of the elevator he realized with growing annoyance that his palms were sweaty and so he angrily wiped them on his pants.

"Pull yourself together, man," he muttered to himself and raised his hand to knock on the door.

Before his knuckles could touch the wood, however, the door was flung open and two stunning looking women nearly ran into him. His mouth silently formed the letter "O" when he drank in the appearance of his nemesis and her sister, a woman he had encountered a couple of times and whom he'd never grown to like.

"What are you doing here?" C.C. was the first to speak.

"Well, actually I was hoping to have a word with you." he replied sheepishly.

"But as you can see we're on our way out."

She looked ravishing in her red, halter-neck dress, her hair softly let down and framing her face.

"Isn't that the Sheffields' butler?" D.D. addressed her sister as if Niles wasn't present.

"Was…" C.C. corrected absent-mindedly.

"Either way, what's a domestic doing at your doorstep at 8 in the evening?" D.D. continued.

Niles' hands briefly balled to fists at her impertinent behavior but then relaxed again.

"It appears I have chosen the wrong moment," he said and with a final look at C.C. turned around to leave.

"On second thought," D.D. whispered into her sister's ear "why doesn't he come along? We could have some fun with him."

There were only two possible things D.D. could mean and she didn't really like either of them. But her pride prohibited her from warning Niles and her sister really left her no choice unless she would explain her sudden need to protect a mere domestic.

"Alright," she swallowed and nodded.

"Marvelous," D.D. whispered excitedly, a malicious glint in her eyes that C.C. definitely did not like.

And she helplessly stood and watched as her sister walked towards him, linked arms with him and said sweetly: "I'm sure you have no dinner plans, well, you'll be dining with us."

Niles turned around to her to give her a startled look but complied to the force of the blonde woman who was ushering him to the elevator.

* * *

The atmosphere in the restaurant was uncomfortable to say the least. C.C. was being unusually subdued and merely sat and observed how her sister degraded Niles, who only politely reminded her that he was no longer a butler.

"God, this damn waiter…just our luck today, eh Ceec?"

"Yeah…I guess," she replied, shifting nervously in her chair.

"But my sister knows how to deal with them," D.D. continued, patting Niles' hand patronizingly "don't you? Tell him the story…"

"Deirdre, I'd rather not. I think it's hardly worth mentioning." C.C. replied in what she hoped could pass up as her old, haughty tone.

"Well, I do. This morning when we had lunch, we were served by the clumsiest excuse for a waiter. But C.C. put him right in his place, didn't you?"

"Yes, she is good at that…" Niles voiced quietly in a way that made her wince even more than D.D.'s false pride.

"And now a waiter problem again. What is happening to the servants nowadays?" and she sighed exasperatedly "Niles, would you be a dear and return my plate to the kitchen and tell them I didn't order this…garbage?"

The silence that followed was heavy, but then he rigidly rose to his feet, took her plate and left the table. C.C.'s eyes seemed to be glued to her cutlery.

"What's wrong with you today? We were having so much fun earlier and now?" D.D. challenged but C.C. swallowed down a snappy retort.

When Niles returned his expression was grim and his whole posture stiff. While D.D. continued to prattle on endlessly his jaw was working non-stop, grinding his teeth. As the evening progressed C.C. felt like she was sitting on a ticking time bomb, for with every drink her sister consumed she was becoming more rude and insufferable.

"You know…domestics are very much like hookers in that respect, wouldn't you say?" she concluded after a long monologue "If you pay them the right amount, they're ready to do almost anything. I wonder what price it would take to make you lose your British reserve…" And she reached out to play with his tie.

"Alright, that's it." C.C. finally snapped.

"What?" D.D. slurred surprised.

"That is it, we are leaving now!" and she stood up so abruptly, that she almost knocked her chair over.

"I'm leaving whenever I want, you don't get to tell me what to do. Maybe we could take the butler home with us and…"

"He is not "the butler"! His name is Niles and you will stop treating him like a servant! Now let's go." And she roughly pulled D.D. out of her chair.

"Miss Babcock? I was wondering-"

"Don't yap but help me, will ya?" she demanded, having to practically force her sister out of the restaurant.

He snapped his mouth shut and instantly appeared on D.D.'s other side, pulling her along. Even when they had reached a cab that was willing to take them home, the younger Babcock sister was still arguing loudly until C.C. slammed the door shut in her face.

"Look, I know you won't believe me," she then said curtly "but I am sorry for the way you were treated tonight. I hope you can enjoy the rest of your evening."

He grabbed her by the wrist before she could slip into the front seat of the vehicle.

"Miss Babcock, the reason I came by…Kraentzl and I have a favour to ask actually…"

He nervously moved from one foot to the other. Her eyes were piercing but she wordlessly nodded.

"We need a place to stay and Maxwell is…out of the question," he spread his hands, hoping she'd understand "and you have connections, maybe you could help us out?"

"Certainly." And she was gone.

But Niles knew better; her tone may have been short, but her features had visibly softened.

"Full of surprises…" he mumbled quietly and began the long walk home, a pleased smile sneaking across his face.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hello, Hello. Thanks to those of you who are still reading this and a special thanks to those reviewing. I do love getting some feedback. lol Anyway, here's the next chapter, I'm hoping to get the next one to you asap. Pleeeaaase keep reviewing!:)**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill, Kraentzl is mine, the rest isn't...**

Chapter 12:

To C.C.'s great surprise D.D. remained relatively quiet in the taxi ride to her penthouse. She really hadn't thought so because as little as the Babcocks liked a scandal, as much they didn't care about a row in front of the lower classes – taxi drivers making prime witnesses. When they pulled up in front of the building C.C. paid the man a generous tip, he had, after all, taken on a monumental task and then slipped out of the vehicle to steady her sister.

"Don't touch me…" D.D. hissed instantly, pulling away and staggering a little until her hands found the stable wall of the building.

"Now don't you think you're being just the tiniest bit dramatic?" C.C. asked who was just plain tired and wanted to put the evening behind her.

"No, you disgust me!" D.D. spat and C.C.'s mouth actually fell open.

"I'm going to ignore that," she commented, after taking a deep breath "because you're drunk and being unreasonable."

And with that she moved back to her sister to help her walk into the building.

"He's a butler, Chastity…a butler…" D.D. hissed disdainfully as they were walking towards the elevator.

"Thanks, I wasn't aware." she replied dryly.

"You defended him!"

C.C. didn't know how her sister accomplished it, but somehow she actually sounded sickened.

"You weren't treating him with the basic respect any human being deserves…" she quietly voiced after moments of silence.

"Have you lost your mind?" D.D. exclaimed loudly "I repeat: He. Is. A. Butler."

"That's just his profession, for crying out loud! And we have no right to judge him by what he does!"

Her sister didn't react but wordlessly continued down the corridor and then slumped down on the couch once C.C. had let her inside.

"I know that he used to be a butler, Deirdre…" she then sighed and perched on the armrest of the sofa "but that's not all. Sure, he wasn't always keen on the job, but then again he did do it with his heart and soul because he happened to work for a family he loved. That man whom you've done such great injustice tonight has held this family together for years and years, because he can love so…fiercely and without any care. And I think that alone makes him a better person than we'll ever be…"

She swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment, almost overwhelmed by the emotions this speech had stirred.

"You love him…" D.D. said pointedly, her eyes narrowed to slits and there was a definite sense of warning in the air.

"I don't," she tried to keep her voice as firm as possible "but I respect him…there's a difference…"

"Mummy will hear of this!" her sister threatened.

"Oh Deirdre, grow up!" C.C. snapped, standing up again, her patience running out.

"You may talk so passionately now, Chastity Claire," her voice was a whisper "but don't you forget that you're one of us. You are part of the Babcock family and as such you have to play by certain rules. But that aside, I seem to recall that you used to engage in the same activities a couple of years ago. Taking some boy of the domestic staff out, getting his hopes up only to crush him. So quit playing the martyr, because it doesn't suit you! You're one of us, now don't you ever forget it!"

And even after her sister had left the room, C.C. was experiencing a chill she couldn't explain. Maybe it would've been wiser to keep her mouth shut… If only Niles had defended himself. Suddenly annoyance bubbled up inside her towards the man who had been her nemesis for several years. Over a thousand sparring matches in which he always needed to have the last word and yet he hadn't reacted to D.D.'s insults at all. It was frustrating somehow…as if the man she'd grown to rely on had disappointed her yet again.

* * *

The telephone rang bright and early the next morning, drawing a reluctant grown from C.C.'s throat.

"Yes?" she asked moodily.

"C.C., this is Maxwell. Listen, sorry for bothering you so early in the morning, but I have something urgent to discuss with you. It's about business!"

She suppressed another groan and pulled herself upright in the bed.

"Listening…"

"Fran and I have been studying the theatre catalogue and think we have found the perfect one. I never thought I'd say this but…it was Fran who spotted it."

"Well, congratulations!" C.C. growled ironically, not really trusting the former Nanny's judgment "What do you need me for?"

"Well C.C., you are my business partner. Naturally I require your opinion as well."

She was tempted to ask him since when he really appreciated her input but swallowed the snide remark down. Just because she was crabby about recent events didn't mean Maxwell had to bear the brunt of it.

"Alright, just tell me which theatre and I'll be there."

* * *

Niles had been awakened just as early but by a consistent knock on the door. When the knocking was followed by Kraentzl's voice, Niles groaned and pulled the blanket over his head. Couldn't there be one day where he'd be left alone? How he was supposed to live together with a man who annoyed him so he'd never figure out. And the morning had begun so pleasantly…

Still surprised but very happy about C.C.'s odd behavior the previous night, Niles had taken to replay the events in his head. More often than not his mind had, of course lingered on the outfit C.C. had worn and how it had hugged her curves, sending his thoughts reeling to an altogether different territory. Once he had calmed down enough from the physical effects these thoughts had evoked, he had reached the conclusion that C.C. hadn't defended him out of pity but rather because she really felt what she had been saying. While this should've given him some form of satisfaction, of course, it also made him think… If she really meant that she didn't care about his previous profession, then why had she insulted him and his parents on the Isle of Wight?

_"She had her guards up, old man, you know what she's like…"_ a nagging voice in his head had repeated over and over again, but Niles had been too stubborn to listen to it.

Instead he had decided to deal with it later when he had developed other thoughts as to her behavior and that for now it would pay to simply be a little nicer again; she was willing to help them find an apartment, after all.

Grumbling under his breath, he climbed out of bed and patted across the room to open the door for the artist.

"What is it now?" he growled "I would've come by your room sooner or later to inform you how it went."

"Not a morning person, I see," Kraentzl said with that annoying sparkle in his eyes and then added softly "quite unusual for a butler."

Niles walked away from the door and allowed the man to let himself in, while he put on a robe and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"I repeat: what brings you to my door this early in the morning?"

"It isn't the news about last night…though I couldn't help but notice that you returned rather late." Kraentzl chuckled "But Mr. Sheffield called me; it seems they have already managed to find a theatre. Now they want us to come and take a look at it and see if we like it."

"And they need me for that?" Niles questioned incredulously.

"Well, you weren't exactly mentioned. But since Miss Babcock will be there and I am the one who requested your presence, I do think it'll be valuable if you come along."

"So in other words: I have no choice?" Niles asked, rising to his feet with a sigh.

"You're a smart boy." Kraentzl replied.

* * *

_"Nanny Fine has better proven some taste."_ C.C. thought over and over again as she sat in the taxi on her way to the theatre.

She had found, to her great surprise, that D.D. had left the penthouse at some point during the night and quite frankly, she was relieved. Her words were still playing on C.C.'s mind and she really couldn't use that at the moment, not when she needed to remain professional. The theatre was located in the area that counted as off- Broadway, an area she wasn't all too keen on as the name alone suggested nothing worthwhile. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the cab. She was being a snob again, of course, because there were several lovely plays off- Broadway that had been rather successful in the past.

The theatre from the outside looked quite alright and C.C. persuaded herself to keep an open mind. Maxwell and Fran were already waiting for her on stage and begrudgingly (even more so because the former Nanny was wearing a smug grin) she had to admit that the theatre looked brilliant. It was spacious enough to fit in the number of people they were hoping for, without being too showy.

"So C.C., what do you say?" Maxwell asked, without any form of greeting.

"I think it looks reasonable," she nodded, determined not to let the brunette see just how surprised she was.

"Sorry we're late!" suddenly Kraentzl's voice came from the back row.A moment later he and Niles had joined them on stage. "Mr. Brightmore here had trouble getting out of bed."

C.C. began to smirk at this, especially when she caught Niles rolling his eyes.

"Not a word!" he said with a knowing grin, pointing his finger at her.

"I wouldn't have said anything," she insisted, still smirking "at your age it is quite common to have difficulties working up the energy to get up in the morning. Maybe you should go back to the hotel and rest a little."

He had just opened his mouth to retort when Maxwell interfered.

"Not now! Take a look at this space instead and tell me what you think."

"I'll go and call the manager in the meantime to work out a price." C.C. said, flipping her cell open and disappeared into the back of the theatre.

Kraentzl had also disappeared without a trace and so Niles decided to follow Maxwell's advice and look around a little himself. The auditorium was large, a bit too large for his liking, consisting of the stalls, a dress circle and a balcony. Nonetheless it looked beautiful and a little old which he considered perfect for the content of the play. Curiosity got the better of him eventually and so he meandered into the wings and backstage. C.C. was talking loudly into the phone in a tone that definitely meant business and he followed her voice until he spotted her in a dark corner, next to an unused lighting rig.

"Come on, Jim, you know us. We've been making business for years with each other…what- what do you mean "I hope it's going to bring some money this time"?"

He chuckled quietly to himself and remained where he was, watching her. There was something about C.C. Babcock when she was doing business that he had always liked. Sure, she was intimidating and almost cold when need be, but she was also determined and strong and dare he admit it, quite attractive. He quietly chuckled to himself again, he was clearly losing his mind. The moment of observation evoked something in him that he hadn't felt since leaving Winchester behind. His fingers were tingling and so he opened his wallet and pulled out an old receipt and, extracting a pen from his breast pocket, he began to write. He was so involved in the writing process that he didn't notice that he was being watched himself.

"Marvelous," Kraentzl whispered and returned to the stage.

Instantly Maxwell was by his side, awaiting his judgment eagerly.

"This won't do," he said and the producer's face fell.

"But it-it's perfect…" he stammered.

"No, it's much too big. This play is intimate, personal…therefore; we need a more personal space."

"Well, maybe I would've found something more appropriate if I was actually aware what the play is about." Maxwell muttered under his breath.

But the artist ignored him, like he always did, when someone else's opinion displeased him.

"I have, however, found the right space already." he continued with a soft smile.

"Oh really? Where?" Maxwell asked, excited again.

"Right here," and he took them to the back of the theatre.

"Maxwell, Jimmy Burntree says-" C.C. began but then stopped with a frown at the picture in front of her "why are we all back here?"

"Mr. Kraentzl doesn't like the main auditorium, he prefers this space."

"But this is for rehearsals." C.C. explained patronizingly.

"Thank you, Miss Babcock, I was quite aware of that. But this is the space I want. Take it or we won't be in business any longer."

"Now, now. No need to be rash!" Maxwell chimed in hurriedly "Of course we're taking it, shouldn't be a problem. Right, C.C.?"

And with that he ushered the artist away.

"God, he's lost his marbles…" she muttered, flipping her cell open once more.

"And you'd know." Niles grinned, the only one left with her backstage "But I do appreciate your sane moments. That is to say, thank you for what you did last night."

"That?" she scoffed, trying to ignore the honesty of his tone "That was nothing. D.D. was being her impossible self and well, I couldn't risk you being offended enough to drop out of this play. After all, it could cost me hundreds…"

He swallowed and focused solely on her eyes, lest her words make his doubts reappear.

"I know why you really did it, Babcock." he replied calmly, a gentle smile on his face.

"Whatever you have to tell yourself," she said, looking away and dialing the number.

The annoying smile remained on his face, however, and he turned around.

"I'll call you tomorrow, Babs."

"Why?" she asked, covering the phone with her hand.

"Apartment hunting." he grinned.


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, Hello. Chapter 13 is ready. Thanks to those reviewing, please keep it up...I can use your support. ;)**

**Disclaimer: Only Kraentzl is mine...yadayadayada**

Chapter 13: 

She stared after him, even when he had already disappeared into the wings, her mouth hanging slightly agape. That man could be so impossible sometimes. There were moments when she thought that their relationship had been broken beyond repair and then he surprised her by acting so carefree and cheeky, as if nothing had ever transpired. Really, the nerve of that man… C.C. wasn't aware that a soft smile had stolen over her features and even if she had, she would've denied it steadfastly. After all, the man wasn't supposed to make her feel like that.

"Unbelievable…" she muttered with a shake of her head and only realized what she had been doing when the voice of Jimmy Burntree at the other end of the line repeatedly called her name. "Sorry, I was a little distracted. But where were we?"

* * *

"So what exactly did happen yesterday, my boy?" Kraentzl asked, the minute Niles had sat down next to him in the taxi.

The former butler had been rather lost in thought, secretly thrilled at C.C.'s incredulous face, that it had taken a moment for him to register the question.

"Pardon?" he asked.

"Mmh… I wonder what you were thinking about, or rather who." Kraentzl continued with a sickeningly knowing smile.

"God, in terms of subtlety you could really be Fran's twin." Niles commented, shaking his head.

The artist merely hummed to this, a secretive smile on his face. For unbeknownst to Niles he had, in fact, decided to change his strategy and was employing a new one that had actually been modeled on the behavior of one loud brunette.

"I had asked you about last night…I'm assuming the evening must have gone either extremely well or extremely badly, judging by the hour of your return. But based on the interaction between you and Miss Babcock today, I'd wager it went rather well last night."

"I think you failed your profession," Niles commented dryly "you're a beard and a couch away from being Sigmund Freud."

"And as such I can't help but notice that you're avoiding my question, Mr. Brightmore. Now what is it that you don't want to share?"

"Alright, alright…" and he lifted his hands in defeat "yes, I went to Miss Babcock last night as you had told me to. But she wasn't alone…her sister was there."

"Younger or older?" Kraentzl interrupted.

"Younger," Niles frowned "is that really important?"

"Well, it certainly helps me picture the events." The artist grinned.

"Alright then…" Niles replied, though he couldn't quite hide just how eccentric he felt the man was being "D.D. Babcock is younger and if you ask Miss Babcock, she's the more beautiful one."

"And what if I ask you?" Kraentzl said, eyeing him intensely.

"C.C. is more beautiful," Niles replied without batting an eyelid, still a little bit annoyed at Kraentzl's obvious glee.

"Well, continue…"

"Yes well, her sister was there and I was just about to return to the hotel, when she suggested that I could join them for dinner."

"How lovely!" Kraentzl exclaimed, rubbing his hands happily.

"You would think, wouldn't you? But that's rarely the case where the Babcock women are concerned. She asked me to accompany them to dinner to – and these are her words- "Have a little fun"."

"Kinky!"

For a moment Niles stopped and just studied the man in front of him incredulously…God knows what he'd been taking.

"And for D.D. Babcock "having a little fun" with me meant humiliating me as best as she could."

"What do you mean?" Kraentzl interrupted yet again, this time a frown was lining his face.

"They are rich, wealthy women…their family name alone is worth millions. So naturally part of their upbringing included the phrase "Babcocks and servants don't mix"…only that for some of them it also included the side note "And if not avoidable treat them as badly as humanly possible."

"I'm sorry, my boy."

There was a seriousness and honesty in the artist's eyes and voice and he squeezed Niles' shoulder firmly.

"It's alright…I've lived long enough in their company to get used to it…"

"So what did Miss Babcock do?"

"She was oddly quiet at first…" he said, shifting somewhat in his seat "and eventually she told her sister off."

"Well, that was nice of her, wasn't it?" Kraentzl asked comradely.

"It was about bloody time…" Niles muttered and then remained silent for the rest of the journey.

He knew that C.C. hadn't simply told her sister off…but that she had downright defended him in a way he had never expected. But somehow he felt that Kraentzl didn't have to know all that. That given the artist's recent behavior he'd only analyse C.C.'s reaction to death. But most of all Niles was scared that he would give him hope again for something that was safer to view as a lost cause.

* * *

"Good morning, Babcock." She was greeted early the next morning by a much too chipper voice.

"Niles," she muttered "don't you have to recover from the jetlag at all?"

"Oh Babs, it would thrill me to repeat to you what you said yesterday about old people and getting out of bed…but I won't, I'm not that mean."

"Yeah,right…" she replied dryly "So to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"If you consider this pleasure you have much still to learn," he chuckled but then added seriously "apartment hunting, I mentioned it yesterday. You promised to help us…"

"Alright, little boy, don't whine." she retorted, letting out her sultry laugh "I'll help you. Meet me in 2 hours at my penthouse."

Andwith that she hung up. Niles let out a quiet, triumphant "Yes!" and then grabbed his keys and coat and headed to Kraentzl's room.

"Niles, my boy, what brings you here?" he smiled.

"I just talked to Miss Babcock and she's ready in 2 hours to help us find an apartment."

"Oh great! I'm sure you'll have fun."

"We'll have fun?" Niles questioned "What about you?"

"Well, I have other things to attend to." The man lied smoothly.

"But…this is an apartment for the both of us…how am I supposed to know what you want?"

"Oh I think it is more about finding out what it is that you want, Mr. Brightmore. Good day!"

Niles spent the remainder of the time pondering the artist's cryptic words but eventually managed to forget about them when he spotted C.C. in her trademark black pencil skirt and a soft white blouse that hugged her curves. He swallowed and told himself not to stare and walked over to her.

At first the search was quite rigid, as both Niles and C.C. were busy building up their old façade of hating each other. It didn't help matters, that the first few places they viewed were posh and in the heart of Manhattan, thus pricy and impossible for Niles to pay for. In an unusual moment of sensitivity, however, C.C. picked up on his decreasing mood and took him to the place she had wanted to show him last, as she thought it was perfect. It had even surprised her to have found such a beautiful apartment on such short notice. But then again, she did have the right connections…The place was situated in SoHo and was essentially a large loft which was certainly big enough to fit both Niles and Kraentzl in.

"So what do you think?" C.C. asked.

He'd been standing by the window for over 5 minutes and it was making it difficult for her to read what he was thinking.

"I wonder if Kraentzl won't consider it too cliché…" he said, turning around slowly.

His tone was serious but his eyes were sparkling mischievously, a combination that made C.C. giggle.

"Well, you could be right, of course. But what do _you_ think?"

"I like it," he nodded, but his poker face was making it impossible to understand what he was really thinking.

C.C., who had hoped for a stronger reaction, didn't decide to give up just yet and walked to him to link arms with him.

"Come on, I have something else to show you."

He looked at her surprised for a moment, certainly not used to her closeness after the cool behavior he'd been receiving and allowed her to lead him to the roof of the house.

"A roof terrace…" he mumbled, astounded.

"Yes, your very own. You have a beautiful view over the city." she exclaimed, excited at his surprise.

"Wow…this is just…"

And he went to walk around the space. After he had seen everything he flopped down on one of the comfortable chairs and patted the one to his side to gesture for her to do the same.

"So how come the great man himself isn't here?" C.C. asked after a while.

"Oh, I don't really know…he said something but it went completely over my head, as always."

"Yes, he is quite strange, isn't he?"

"That's the understatement of the century." Niles turned to her, grinning.

"True…I'm always curious to see how long Maxwell will comply to his wishes before he snaps."

"Oh, Babcock, I sense a wager!" Niles said, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're on!" she exclaimed, shaking his hand "I think he'll snap at the first rehearsal."

"No…you don't know us British…definitely not that early. I think just before opening night."

And they shook hands again.

"Did you ever think you'd be successful as a writer?" C.C. asked after a moment of silence.

"No, not really. I mean, whenever Maxwell came upon one of my scripts he only snickered and threw it away. But I just…wanted to write…" Niles explained slowly.

"Mmh," she hummed "I think what you wrote on the Isle of Wight was remarkable."

He turned to her, a look of surprise on his face which he then hurried to hide.

"Thank you," he quietly said.

She nodded and looked straight ahead.

"But I am by no means a professional…but seeing as you have quite some experience, maybe you could help me alter bits and pieces once rehearsals start?"

"Sure," she smiled and nodded.

He nodded too and busied himself watching the clouds for a moment.

"I think the place is perfect, C.C." he then said.


End file.
